


Team Rocket's Victory

by meowthwillrise



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Anime), Team Rocket - Fandom, rocketshipping - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-13
Updated: 2017-12-13
Packaged: 2019-02-14 04:12:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 27
Words: 35,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12999597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/meowthwillrise/pseuds/meowthwillrise
Summary: A long and interesting story with twists and surprises, all centering around Team Rocket finally succeeding in capturing Pikachu! (Brief description only, I don't want to spoil the plot) Please leave reviews so I know who's reading. Plus, I love the feedback! And yes, this story is complete. (:





	1. An Ordinary Day

**Chapter 1**

        It was a typical day in the Alola region, the sun was shining bright and the Wingull were chirping. The sounds of the waves crashed against the cliffs, the wind was blowing a beautiful breeze, and the tropical forest was echoing with the voices of Pokemon. Wait, what’s this? A battle going on in the forest? Who could it possibly be?

        Oh, it’s just Ash and the other students from the Pokemon School in the process of defeating Team Rocket in battle. It really was just a typical day.

        “Mimikyu! Use shadow ball!” shouted a villain with incredibly long, red locks.

        “Mareanie, use poison jab!” cried another evil-doer with lavender hair. Mimikyu forced its attack straight toward Pikachu, and Mareanie battled against Lana’s Poplio. Poplio proceeded to dodge the attack, but Pikachu couldn’t get away from Mimikyu’s swift speed fueled by vengeance.

        “Pikachu!” Ash yelled, “You can finish them, use thunderbolt!” Pikachu charged up his electric move to full power, released the static which hit Team Rocket directly, zapping them to crisps.

        “Looks like Team Rocket’s blasting off again!” They all shouted in unison, while soaring across the sky disappearing seconds later. Ash, Lana, Mallow, Kiawe, Lillie, and Sophocles all high fived and cheered at yet another victory against Team Rocket.

        “Hey guys, it’s about time we head back to the Pokemon School now. Professor Kukui is probably waiting for us,” Ash said to his friends. They nodded their heads in agreement, and headed back to the classroom.

        The students walked back up the stairs into the giant, elevated classroom in which they had their studies in. They all sat down in their desks and packed up their backpacks, excitedly waiting for Professor Kukui to wrap up the lesson for the day.

        “Alright everyone, you all did wonderfully today! Now head home and get a good night’s rest, we have a very special guest coming in to teach class tomorrow,” said Professor Kukui. “How many of you are familiar with the new Pokemon Champion from the Hoenn region?” Every student in the room immediately raised their hands excitedly, and said, “Me!” The professor continued, “Well, you all are in luck. Rhia will be coming to give a lesson right here in this room!”

        “No way! That’s awesome!” cheered Ash happily. He recalled watching Pokemon Master Rhia’s final battle to win the title of champion. Her Pokemon were in tip-top shape, and she defeated her final opponent within the blink of an eye. In Ash’s opinion, she was one of the strongest trainers he’s ever seen, as well as the most beautiful. The other students chattered about the Pokemon master for a bit, then proceeded to head home for the day.

        On their short walk back to Professor Kukui’s house, Ash asked Pikachu, “Hey buddy, what do you think about challenging Rhia to a battle tomorrow?” Pikachu confidently said (in Pokemon language, of course) that he for sure wanted to try and defeat her. “That’s the spirit! We might have a chance at it, Pikachu!” The companions shared a joyful laugh and smile, and continued on their way with pride in their hearts. Little did they know, it was about to be the craziest part of their journey yet.


	2. Reunited

**Chapter 2**

“So, why didn’t Bewear save us from blasting off this time?” said the lavender-haired man while soaring through the sky.

“I don’t know James, why don’t you ask Bewear yourself?” scoffed the female villain, with recognizable attitude in her voice.

“Wow Jessie, I really doubt dat Jimmy here’s gonna be da one of us to approach Bewear first,” replied the brains of the team. The talking Meowth continued, “All I know is, dis is gonna be a real hard landin’!” The three villains crashed from their blast off straight in the dirt, overlooking the ocean. Thank goodness they landed on the shore, and not far out into the sea. The last thing they wanted to do was more hard work, especially after being defeated once again. Jessie was the first one to rise from the painful landing, and she observed her surroundings. A few blocks from the beach, right down the road, was an enormous outdoor shopping center; one of the largest and wealthiest she’s ever seen. Team Rocket had landed in the Primm District, the richest suburb in Alola. Local celebrities and high-class citizens lived in this part of town, and it was also known as the prime destination for tourists.

“Would you look at that! An outlet mall!” Jessie yelled excitedly as James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet groggily picked themselves up from the fall.

“…Jessie… We don’t have any money to go shopping again...” James said with an exhausted tone in his voice.

“Be quiet James! You don’t have to have money to shop! That’s what stealing’s for!” Jessie shouted, sounding irritated. “Besides, would you rather try to catch Pikachu today _again_ and fail, so we look like even bigger losers?!”

James sighed, “Ugh, I guess you’re right. Come on, let’s go.”

“Great!” Meowth shouted, “Maybe I can get my hands on some of dat homemade ice cream they have in da food court.”

After changing into their tourist disguises, Jessie, James, and Meowth strolled casually down the sidewalk toward an impeccable two story outdoor mall. This shopping center sold everything imaginable, and everything was of highest quality. All metal details in the architecture were gold plated, and a sparkling chandelier hung in the center of the food court. The three teammates shared a menacing look, plotting thievery, until they noticed at least one security guard standing at the doorway of each and every retailer. Maybe they wouldn’t be able to successfully steal anything, but they still enjoyed being in the presence of such a fancy place.

“Yo guys, let’s head back to da food court and get some grub, I’m starvin’,” Meowth said while walking past a shop that sold thousand-dollar handbags. The group turned around and began walking back the same way they came, with Meowth leading the way. Meowth’s mind was focused entirely on food, until something caught his eye in the distance. It was a glamorous and beautiful Delcatty, walking beside a young trainer. Immediately, Meowth was smitten by this Pokemon.

“Holy macaroons! Dat’s da prettiest cat I’ve eva seen!” yelled Meowth, running as fast as he could towards the Delcatty and her trainer. Jessie, James, and Wobbuffet trailed behind him trying to catch up. Meowth sprinted down the pavement and stopped right in front of the female trainer and her Pokemon, with his friends arriving right after.

“Hey doll, where ya visiting from?” Meowth fearlessly asked the Delcatty, “I know you’re from outta town, because there sure ain’t no beautiful Pokemon like you around these parts,” Delcatty stepped back hesitantly, then happily flirted back with Meowth in language only he could understand. The trainer was more scared than her Pokemon, however. The young girl, wearing a long kimono and a sunhat that hid almost her entire face, finally looked up at who was in front of her. She was also in disguise, and she became nervous at the thought that someone recognized who she was, as she was trying to avoid being noticed by anyone. With fear plastid on her face, the trainer glanced up and saw two island tourists, a Wobbuffet, and a Meowth chatting it up with her prized Delcatty, Beauty. Wait a second… she could clearly understand this Meowth, he was speaking human! The trainer’s jaw dropped, could it be? She looked straight into the eyes of the two tourists, with them staring blankly back at her. In an instant, she saw through their costumes and realized who she was looking at; it was Jessie, James, and Meowth, three of her closest buddies from when she was younger!

“Oh my goodness! It’s you guys! Wow, it’s been forever,” shouted the young trainer, with Jessie and James looking puzzledly at her.

“James, do you know this girl? Why is she so happy to see you, hm?” asked Jessie, with a hint of jealousy in her suspicious tone.

“Jess, she’s clearly excited to see you and Wobbuffet, isn’t that right?” James sarcastically asked the trainer.

“Ugh, well in all seriousness, who are you and how do you know us?!” asked Jessie, who was becoming increasingly angrier.

“Huh? I can’t believe you guys don’t remember… oh wait!” The trainer began to speak but realized she was also wearing a disguise, so she ripped it off instantly. In front of Team Rocket stood a breathtaking girl, with long, wavy, cotton candy pink hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was wearing a turquoise dress with tiny black polka-dots, paired with gold, strappy heels and gold jewelry. “It’s me, Rhia! Remember? Sergeant R’s daughter, Team Rocket Training Headquarters? Ring a bell?” asked the trainer, while raising her left arm and pointing out a wristband that possessed the infamous red ‘R’, the symbol for the Team Rocket organization.

Jessie, James, and Meowth stood silently at the trainer for a moment. Then, simultaneously, a light bulb went off in each of their heads, and they all gasped in unison.

“Oh, Rhia! Is that really you? You’re all grown up!” shouted Jessie happily.

“Sorry we didn’t recognize you, it’s been a long time! How’ve you been lately?” asked James.

“Ha! Rhia, I’m not surprised you’re da owner of this lovely cat right here, da beauty of a Pokemon has to match their trainer! Anyways, whattaya’ doin here in Alola?” Meowth asked cheerfully.

“Well thanks you guys, I’ve missed you all so much. We definitely have a lot of catching up to do! And Meowth, this is my best friend Beauty. She lives up to her nickname, I guess,” Rhia giggled. “Oh, I’m just so happy to see you guys!!” shouted Rhia, bringing Jessie, James, Meowth, and even Wobbuffet into a big, warm hug. The group laughed loudly, and caught the attention of some fellow shoppers passing by.

“Hey look! It’s Rhia!’ shouted one shopper.

“The Hoenn League champion? Where?!” cried another. Moments later, there was a group of eight or nine individuals approaching Rhia and Team Rocket. The crowd was cheering loudly, and began pestering Rhia for autographs and selfies. Team Rocket was extremely confused and somewhat creeped out, and stood next to Rhia still disguised as tourists, trying to blend in.

“Now, now everyone. Calm down, you’ll all get an autograph and a picture, but that’s it! Sorry, but I don’t have time to stay and chat.” said Rhia, who casually socialized with townspeople that were also her fans.

As Rhia finished up the last autograph, she whispered to Team Rocket, “Okay guys, I’m gonna count to three and when I get to three, we make a run for it down the escalator straight out of here, alright?” Jessie, James, and Meowth nodded their heads in agreement, getting ready to escape.

“One…two…three!” Rhia yelled, grabbing Meowth’s arm and proceeding to bolt towards the exit of the Primm Mall. Meowth grabbed onto Wobbuffet, who grabbed onto Jessie, who lastly grabbed on to James. As fast as her long, thin legs could carry her, Rhia ran out of the shopping mall and down the sidewalk, with Team Rocket trailing directly behind her.


	3. Flashback from the Past

**Chapter 3**

“Whew! That was close. A few of those fans almost caught up to us!” said Rhia, attempting to catch her breath. Team Rocket and Rhia were now at the entrance of a high-class Italian restaurant, with their stomachs grumbling from all the exercise. “Do you guys wanna grab some lunch?” Rhia asked Team Rocket. “All that running made me pretty hungry, and this place looks alright to me,” she said while pointing at the restaurant.

“I thought you’d never ask,” said Meowth cheerfully, “C’mon gang, time to strap on the ol’ feedbag!” Meowth marched happily into the restaurant, with his three human friends and Beauty following right behind him.

“Hah, some things never change!” laughed Rhia happily as she followed Meowth into the eatery.

As soon as Rhia entered the restaurant, her and Team Rocket were quickly guided to a private dining room, hidden from the rest of the customers. The host stated that considering Rhia was a known celebrity, they wanted her to have an extraordinary dining experience, and not be bombarded by fans the whole time. Rhia thanked the host, and her, Jessie, James, Wobbuffet, Meowth, and Beauty all sat down around the table. Before Team Rocket could ask about Rhia’s fame, they were interrupted by a waiter who took everyone’s food and drink order. The waiter quickly left, and Rhia began to speak. “Wow, I can’t believe the universe brought us back together after all this time! I swore I’d never see you guys again, but look at us now. I remember the great times we had together, don’t you?” Jessie, James, Meowth, and Rhia smiled as their minds drifted into a flashback from the past…

It was approximately four years prior, when Jessie, James, and Meowth were finishing up their most difficult challenge yet, working towards the completion of their training to become official Team Rocket agents. The last obstacle they had to face was figuring out a way to outsmart ghost Pokemon while maintaining a calm composure. The trio was introduced to their commander for this challenge, one of the highest-ranked generals in the entire organization. His name was Sergeant R, and he was oddly nicer to them than anyone else in the industry. After one night of camping out in the forest where all the creepy ghost Pokemon resided, the trio was scared out of their wits. They told Sergeant R the next morning that they wanted to forfeit the challenge, throwing all of their hard work right out the window. Suddenly, a child that was maybe only nine years old peeked out from behind Sergeant R. She jumped in front of him, then looked at Jessie, James, and Meowth.

“Don’t give up you guys! I know you can do it!” cheered the young child, “Ghost Pokemon aren’t that scary, promise. I mean, I’m not scared of them, so if you want me to go into the forest tomorrow night to protect ya, I will!”

“Rhia!” shouted Sergeant R, “What did I tell you about involving yourself in my work? These are very dangerous missions, and I don’t want you to get hurt!” Sergeant R looked back at the trio, “Sorry about that, my daughter Rhia is very interested in Pokemon and tries to be adventurous and brave whenever she has the opportunity,” he said calmly.

“Well, maybe it wouldn’t be a bad idea for her to go with us,” said Jessie, fearing a bad reaction from her commander.

“Jessie’s right! One more person in our group will make us feel a lot more at ease,” said James, trying to justify Jessie’s reasoning.

“And also, Rhia looks like she’s almost old enough to begin an adventure of her own, so why not give her a little practice, eh?” Meowth commented.

Rhia beamed with excitement, and her eyes lit up like fireworks. “Really? You guys want me to go with?” Rhia asked Jessie, James, and Meowth as they all smiled and nodded their heads. She continued, “Well in that case, I have to go! Oh dad, please please pleeeease can I go with them?” She pleaded with her father, as he seemed very calm about the situation.

“I suppose you can tag along with them, even if it is against the rules… but, I won’t be the one to say anything to Giovanni,” said Sergeant R with a grin on his face. Rhia and the trio cheered with excitement, until Sergeant R interrupted again. “However, one of the keys of this challenge is camping out in the haunted forest for three nights. Even with how brave Rhia is, I will not let her put herself in that kind of danger. So, I trust that the four of you will return every night to my home for a healthy dinner and a good night’s rest. Do we have a deal?” Sergeant R asked Jessie and James.

Jessie, James, and Meowth thought about his offer. Not only do they get to avoid being scared out of their pants by ghost Pokemon, they now get to spend the next three nights in a warm bed with full tummies! Immediately, the trio said “Yes, sir!” and saluted him. Rhia thanked her father dearly and gave him a big hug. Sergeant R commented again, “Great. Now Rhia, I’m counting on you to not give these three any unwanted trouble, otherwise you’ll be coming back home at once. Do you understand?”

“Of course, dad! I’m just here to help,” Rhia said, “C’mon guys, let’s go!” Rhia ran out of her house excitedly with Jessie, James, and Meowth following behind her.

That evening in the haunted forest went a whole lot smoother for Jessie, James, and Meowth than the night prior. Rhia took almost complete charge, helping the trio set up traps and tricks for the ghost Pokemon to fall for. After they successfully captured a Gengar, Rhia and Meowth joked around with it and realized that the Pokemon were not trying to scare them, they just wanted to play. Knowing that, Jessie and James especially felt a lot less frightened about being in the forest. As the moon began to rise, Team Rocket and Rhia did as they promised and headed back to Sergeant R’s house on the outskirts of the forest. Sergeant R welcomed them home with hamburgers and hotdogs for dinner. Everyone happily ate, and Sergeant R went back into his home office to get some paperwork done. The trio and Rhia, however, stayed up playing board games and chatting.

“So Rhia, you and Sergeant R live here on Team Rocket Training Headquarters?” asked James inquisitively.

“Yep, lived here my whole life,” Rhia answered, “My dad works all day every day, so he needs to be here all the time just in case.”

“But whattabout you? Don’t you get bored bein’ here all da time?” Meowth asked Rhia.

“I mean, kinda. I get to see a lot of different Pokemon, but I’m not allowed to make friends with them.. And no kids live here either, so I have no one to play with. Now that you mention it, it is kinda boring here,” Rhia paused for a moment, then had a slight outburst. “Oh! I know! When you guys leave, I can go with you! I’m almost ten, so I’m gonna get to leave home and get my very own Pokemon real soon. Then, we can all begin our quest to become Pokemon masters! Woohoo!”

Jessie, James, and Meowth all shared a distraught expression. Rhia must have forgotten that they were training to become agents in Team Rocket, not Pokemon masters.

“Look Rhia,” said James kindly, “We can’t be Team Rocket agents AND Pokemon masters, it’s impossible!”

Meowth continued, “Yeah, Jimmy here is right. We’d really like havin’ you travelin’ around wit us, but I don’t think you’d wanna be stealin’ Pokemon all day long.”

Rhia listened to what her newfound friends said, and her head hung down in disappointment, “You’re right. The last thing I wanna do is steal Pokemon… Ugh. I’ve just had so much fun with you guys today and I don’t want this day to ever end… I’m finally having fun..”

Jessie looked down at her wrist and noticed the bracelet she’s been wearing since she was Rhia’s age. It was a black wristband, but had a decent sized red “R” as a charm directly in the center. Her mother, who was also a general in the Team Rocket organization, gave Jessie this bracelet before she went on a quest to find the legendary Mew, which she never returned from. Jessie could relate to Rhia and her lonely childhood, so Jessie took the bracelet off of her wrist and proceeded to put it on Rhia’s.

“Here Rhia, I want you to have this,” said Jessie as she latched the bracelet onto Rhia’s arm. “My mother gave me this so that I would always have a piece of her with me. Now, I’m giving this to you so you’ll always have a piece of us, with you.” Rhia smiled and tears began to form in her eyes, and she pulled Jessie, James, and Meowth into a huge hug.

“You guys are the best,” Rhia said, finally feeling like she found real friends.

“And after you guys graduated from training, I never saw you again…” Rhia said, interrupting the flashback, “A few months later, I began my very own Pokemon journey and never looked back! I had the knowledge, pride, and independence from growing up in the Team Rocket organization, so I was real confident. And I always hoped I’d run into you guys along the way.”

“Speaking of your Pokemon journey,” said Jessie as she stuffed her face with pizza, “how’d you go from catching Pokemon to being attacked by fans everywhere you go?”

Rhia blushed, “Oh right! I totally forgot to explain what happened earlier. Well, you see, I guess I did pretty well raising my team of Pokemon. We made it to the Hoenn League and won with flying colors, it was a piece of cake! And I guess my televised success didn’t go unnoticed. Suddenly, everywhere I went, people were following me around asking for autographs, battle tips, and pictures. I was confused at first, but then I had companies calling me to advertise products, act in commercials, and go on vacations free of charge! They said now that I was a renowned Pokemon master, I wasn’t considered an ordinary trainer anymore. I’m now a member of the lucky few who are considered the best of the best!”

Jessie, James, and Meowth’s jaws dropped. Their old friend, the adventurous Rhia, now a famous Pokemon master? The more they pondered this idea, however, the less farfetched it seemed. In the back of their minds, they knew this girl was gonna be a success. I mean, of course, she did start in Team Rocket after all… kind of.

“And that all explains why I’m here in the Alola region. The Hoenn League sponsored this trip for me, so I can go give a couple of seminars at different convention centers and the Pokemon School. Not to mention this is a paid vacation, so I get to stay at the biggest and best beachside resort, in the best room they have!” Rhia smiled proudly after explaining her accomplishments to Team Rocket.

“What?! THE POKEMON SCHOOL?!” shouted Jessie, James, and Meowth as they remembered where Ash and Pikachu spent most of their days.

“Yeah.. The Pokemon School.. What about it?” asked Rhia confusedly. The trio’s surprised expression immediately erased from their faces.

“Oh, nothing… We just get excited about education, that’s all! Heh,” James stated nervously as he tried to cover up him, Jessie, and Meowth’s sudden outbursts.

“Really James? The master of lies knows a lie when she sees one,” Rhia said with a sneaky grin on her face, “So, what’s the real deal with the Pokemon School?”

“Ugh,” James sighed, “I guess we should tell you the truth.”

“Well Rhia, when we first started our journey as brand new Team Rocket agents,” Jessie began, “we came across this trainer and his Pikachu. The Pikachu possessed an insanely strong power, like nothing we had ever seen before.”

“And from dat moment on, we’ve been tryin’ to catch dat Pikachu every day to give to da boss, and we mess up every single time,” Meowth said disappointedly.

James continued from what Jessie and Meowth said, “That’s why we’re here in Alola. Our mission from Giovanni is still to catch that darn Pikachu! And the trainer goes to the Pokemon School, which is why we kinda freaked out.”

“Oh wow, sounds like you guys need a vacation,” Rhia stated after hearing what her buddies have been up to all these years. “Hey, I know! You guys can come stay with me in my penthouse hotel room for the rest of my trip! I’d love to have some friends around to keep me company.”

“Really Rhia? You’d do dat for us?” asked Meowth happily.

“Of course, Meowth! You three are the only real friends I’ve ever had besides my Pokemon. And well, my dad too, but…”

“But what?” the trio asked simultaneously.

“….Well, a couple weeks after you guys graduated from training, my dad went on a mission all by himself to capture some rare and dangerous Pokemon on the highest mountain peak in the Hoenn region. I waited for him to return for days, and it felt like years… But he never came back.. and I still don’t know what happened to him.” Rhia told Team Rocket, with tears forming in her eyes.

At this point, Team Rocket was sobbing. It pained them to hear that the only person in the organization that treated them with respect, Sergeant R, was gone. They also sympathized with Rhia, realizing that she was fairly young and all alone in the world.

“Hey guys, don’t cry! It’s okay. This was years ago. The only thing that truly matters is right now!” Rhia said softly, trying to guide attention away from her and her friends. “What do you say we go to the resort and have fun the rest of the day?”

“Sounds like a plan!” yelled Jessie, James, and Meowth as they stood up from their table and left the Italian restaurant.


	4. Fun in the Alolan Sun

**Chapter 4**

        Jessie, James, Meowth, and Rhia arrived at the beach shortly after lunch. It was late afternoon, but they still had more than enough daylight hours to spare. The friends walked over to a large beachside cabana made of palm fronds, with Rhia leading the way.

        “Alright guys, I don’t really wanna spend my entire vacation signing autographs, so is it okay if we hang out here?” Rhia asked Team Rocket. The trio looked inside the cabana, and they were in awe. There was a fully stocked juice bar in one corner of the hut, and five fancy lawn chairs on the other side. The cabana was maybe twenty feet away from the ocean, and was promised to have the best view of the setting sun.

        “We’d be honored!” shouted Team Rocket happily.

        “I’m sure our Pokemon would like to be out of their Pokeballs and part of the fun too!” James suggested happily.

        “That’s right!” said Jessie while pulling two Pokeballs off her belt, “Mimikyu! Wobbuffet! Come on out!”

        “And Mareanie, join the party!” yelled James, throwing his only Pokeball.

        “Wow! I’ve never seen Pokemon that look like that before, so cool!” Rhia beamed while she pet Mimikyu and Mareanie gently on their heads. “I guess it’s time you all should meet my Pokemon.”

        Rhia stepped back, “I’ll introduce them to you one by one. I’ve done this plenty of times, so my speech should be a breeze. Ha-ha!” Beauty proceeded to confidently walk in front of Rhia, striking a glamorous pose that looked rehearsed. “This is Beauty,” Rhia began, “a Delcatty of course. She was my first Pokemon, and we’ve been best buddies ever since she was a Skitty! Even though she has a pretty face, she’s very powerful, so don’t be fooled by her looks!”

        “Woohoo! Yay!” screamed Meowth, “Dat’s da best Pokemon of all! If there was a prize for dat, Beauty, you’d win no doubt!” Meowth’s parade was quickly shut down by a swift slap from Jessie, followed by one from James.

        “Shut up Meowth!” cried Jessie.

        “Can’t you see you’re interrupting the performance?” yelled James.

        “On to my next Pokemon, only you guys get the real story behind this one,” Rhia winked. “When I first got to the Hoenn region, I went to the Pokemon laboratory and told Professor Birch that I needed a starter Pokemon to begin my journey. Sure, it was a lie, but I ended up with two Pokemon right from the beginning. So yeah, it was worth it!” Rhia reached for her belt and released a Pokeball with a flame sticker right in the center. “Everyone, meet Phoenix, the world’s most powerful Blaziken!” Without a command being told, Phoenix released the largest flamethrower Team Rocket’s ever seen, aiming the attack directly at the cabana. Immediately, the entire cabana was engulfed in flames. Jessie, James, and Meowth began running and jumping around, panicking.

        “Calm down guys,” said Rhia calmly, “it’s all part of the show! Now, my next companion is a master of both the sky and the sea! Go, Atlantis, shut this fire down!” A pelican-like Pokemon was released from the blue and white Pokeball, and he proceeded to cause a giant tidal wave combining water and flying attacks. Rhia began once again, “Pellipper is a good Pokemon to have, because they have two types, water and flying. If they’re raised to be strong, you get twice the advantages!” Team Rocket sighed a sigh of relief that the cabana was no longer a flaming inferno.

        “It just keeps getting better,” cheered Rhia. “Now, onto the rock-hard, invincible, defense-packed member of our team!”

        “I think she’s gonna have an Onix,” James guessed, quietly voicing his opinion to Jessie and Meowth.

        “An Onix? Please. No champion has an Onix. I bet she’s gonna have a Steelix!” Jessie yelled harshly at James.

        “Stoner, come on out!” Rhia yelled, throwing a silver-plated Pokeball. Both Jessie and James were wrong in their assumptions, because an enormous Aggron appeared from the ball. “This Aggron has the toughest defenses I’ve ever seen,” Rhia continued, “He can withstand hurricanes, tornados, and even attacks from legendary Pokemon! Which brings me to the final member of The Fab Five…”

       

        “This one was my toughest catch. People told me it was impossible, but I gave it a shot and succeeded,” Rhia said, “Everyone, meet the Pokemon who lives up to his name; King! I choose you!” Team Rocket watched intensely as Rhia pulled a master ball from her belt and tossed it far into the air. Inside was none other than a legendary Groudon, who was much bigger in person than they had imagined. Jessie, James, and Meowth stood in front of King in shock, wondering how a trainer younger than them could successfully capture and tame a Groudon.

        “…H..h…how did you do that?” James stuttered, almost too nervous to move.

        “It….it’s so big.. and scary,” Jessie said, frightened at this intimidating Pokemon.

        “Run for ya lives! Dat Groudon’s gonna have us for dinner!” Meowth cried, with him, Jessie, and James about to make a run for it.

        “Wait you guys!” Rhia yelled, and Team Rocket stopped in their tracks. “King might look scary, but I promise, he’s friendly!” King proceeded to smile, then picked Jessie, James, Meowth, and Wobbuffet up with his tail and placed them gently on his back. “We had a lot of fun training together for the Pokemon league, and I learned that Groudon aren’t mean at all! They’re just misunderstood,” Rhia stated, “Besides, you guys didn’t watch the Hoenn League on TV?”

        “We’ve kinda been hiding out in a cave while being taken care of by a Pokemon called Bewear,” commented Jessie, “so we haven’t really been watching much TV.”

        Rhia looked at them blankly, “Well, that explains it,” she said.

        “Enough wit da small talk, let’s have some fun!” shouted Meowth as he jumped off of King’s back and rolled in the sand.

        “Meowth’s right, everyone’s introduced…” Rhia proceeded, “Now who wants a drink?”

        “I do, I do!” shouted Jessie and James, together of course.

        For the remainder of the day, Team Rocket enjoyed the fun, relaxation, and sound of the waves. Their minds were clear for the first time in a while. Rhia was busy taking pictures of the Pokemon and swimming with them, and Team Rocket was soaking up the sun relaxing in lawn chairs, sipping on juice. All of the sudden, their relaxation was interrupted.

        “Hey guys!” It was Rhia, with her pink polaroid camera in hand. “I wanna capture as many of these moments as possible, so do you guys want to take a picture with me?”

        “Of course!” Jessie cheered confidently.

        “Let’s be sure to get the view of the ocean in the background,” James suggested. Rhia, Meowth, Jessie, and James crowded together and smiled big as Rhia captured the photograph. After it was developed, Meowth noticed Wobbuffet photo-bombed them, making an appearance in the background. No one became angry, they all just laughed.

        “Aw man, da sun’s settin’,” said Meowth disappointedly as he gazed across the horizon.

        “But it sure is beautiful,” chimed Jessie happily.

        “Yes, very beautiful indeed,” James agreed, glancing at the sunset for a moment, then moving his admirable gaze directly at Jessie.

        “Looks like it’s time to go, we can have more fun once you guys see this resort! Alright everyone, return,” Rhia stated, guiding her Pokemon back into their Pokeballs, then Jessie and James followed suit.

        “Hey Rhia,” asked Meowth, “why doesn’t Beauty stay in her Pokeball?”

        “She never had one to begin with,” answered Rhia, “Even if she did, she’s too glamorous to be stuck in there all day, don’t you agree?”

        “I agree completely!” Meowth shouted, turning his attention toward his kitty crush. “Guess we got somethin’ in common, we’re both independent Pokemon!” he laughed as him and Beauty began to walk beside each other happily.

        “I can’t wait ‘till you guys see this place,” Rhia said to Team Rocket excitedly, “Tonight is gonna be great, we’re gonna have a ball!” They entered the glass-paned double doors and were welcomed by a concierge at the entrance of the resort. Jessie, James, Meowth, and Rhia spent the remainder of their night enjoying the amenities the resort had to offer; an indoor amusement park, a huge arcade, a five-star all-you-can-eat buffet, the list goes on. Team Rocket was having the time of their lives.

        However, all evening, Rhia could not shake a persistent thought she had in her mind. It was troubling her, because it was a more evil and sinister thought than any she has had before. Seeing the joy on Jessie, James, and Meowth’s faces made it even worse. She knew those smiles wouldn’t last once they went back to their same old Pikachu-napping mission. Rhia was loyal to her friends and wanted to keep them happy no matter what, but how could she do it?


	5. The Important Guest

**Chapter 5**

The following day arrived in what seemed like the blink of an eye. Ash woke up earlier than usual with a smile on his face; he was finally gonna meet a true Pokemon master! He speedily got dressed, ate breakfast, and ran out of the door of Professor Kukui’s house. Ash was the first one to arrive to school that morning, as he could hardly contain his excitement.

“Wow Ash,” said a familiar voice as they walked through the entryway, “You’re here early!” It was Mallow, followed by the other students and Professor Kukui, along with jokester Samson Oak.

“Gee, this is a surprise!” laughed Samson Oak, “Usually Ash Ketchum is the one running through the door a minute before class begins!”

“Hey everyone… I’m just extra excited for class today, that’s all,” Ash shrugged, being slightly embarrassed.

“Trust me,” said Kiawe, “We all are!” The students proceeded to sit in their desks, and the professors walked to the front of the room by the blackboard. While the professors sorted out some paperwork on the front desk, the students began to chatter about their special guest of the day.

“Guys, I wonder if Rhia will tell us how she caught a legendary Groudon!” said Sophocles.

“All I want to know is how she taught a normal-type Pokemon so many different types of moves,” commented Lillie, “Her Delcatty is so powerful!”

“Hmm,” Kiawe said quietly, “Maybe Rhia can help teach Turtonator flare blitz if I ask her!”

Ash hesitated for a moment, then spoke up, “The only thing I want is a Pokemon battle with Rhia!” His fellow students looked at him in utter astonishment.

“But Ash… you can’t be serious,” stated Lana.

“Yeah,” Kiawe agreed, “even if you used Z-moves, you wouldn’t stand a chance against her.” This comment from Kiawe infuriated Ash, so he stood up from his chair.

“What do you mean I won’t stand a chance?!” yelled Ash, “My Pokemon are great, and they’re strong too! I’ll show you,” his voice increasingly became louder, “I’ll defeat Rhia in battle and prove all of you wrong!!!” Ash’s angry rant was cut short by Professor Kukui.

“Class! Settle down and take a seat,” said the professor, “Our guest has arrived.” Ash quickly sat back down and turned his head toward the classroom entryway. Right before his eyes was Rhia, and she was much more beautiful in person than on TV. Beside her was her prized Pokemon, Delcatty, who never left her side; just like Pikachu with Ash.

“Everyone, meet Rhia, the Pokemon Champion of the Hoenn region!” announced Samson Oak.

“Hey everybody!” said Rhia with a huge smile on her face, “I’m so glad I get to be a part of your class today, I hope you all are ready to learn,” Rhia said sternly, then giggled. “Just kidding, I’m not that serious with Pokemon.” The entire class had their best listening ears glued to her.

She continued, “I’m here today to show you some of my top-secret tips and tricks for raising Pokemon, and help you teach your Pokemon powerful moves! I also wanna get to know some fellow trainers and make some new friends. The Hoenn league officials were generous enough to send me on this trip, so I want to make the best of it,” Rhia proceeded to look out the window.

“Wow, it’s such a beautiful day!” Rhia exclaimed, “Hey professors, if it’s okay with you, could we have class outside this morning?”

“Of course, technically you’re the teacher for the day,” stated Samson Oak, “So we can have class wherever you’d like, me and Kukui here will just stand back and watch.”

Rhia laughed, “Awesome! Let’s head outside guys!” The students stood up from their chairs, and everyone walked downstairs to the yard.

Once everyone was outside the classroom and in the schoolyard, the students lined up facing Rhia and the professors.

“Alright, before we get started, I want to get to know you all and your Pokemon,” Rhia spoke, “Starting with the far left, tell me your name and release all of your Pokemon, and introduce them too!” The first one up was Lillie.

“Uhm… okay! My name is Lillie, and this here is Snowy, an Alolan Vulpix,” she stated shyly, “And Snowy doesn’t stay in a Pokeball, just like your Delcatty!”

“Amazing! An ice-type Vulpix,” Rhia squealed, already knowing the Pokemon’s type just by its appearance, “She’s so cute! You are one lucky trainer. Now, who’s next?”

The other students introduced themselves and their Pokemon one by one; Sophocles with Togedemaru, Turtonator alongside Kiawe, Lana with Poplio, and Mallow partnered with Steenee. Last but not least, was Ash.

“It’s great to finally meet you, Rhia!” he proclaimed, “My name is Ash, and one day I’m going to be a Pokemon master just like you,” the other students sighed heavily. Ash proceed to reach for his belt and release two Pokeballs.

“These are my Pokemon; Rowlet, Rockruff, and Pikachu of course!” Ash continued, “Oh, and I can’t forget RotomDex too!”

“Hi! I’m a Rotom-powered Pokedex, nice to meet ya, Pokemon master!” said the floating Pokemon-machine cheerfully.

Rhia paused for a moment, then yelled, “What is THIS?! What are YOU?? Astounding! This is the most amazing contraption I’ve seen yet!” She proceeded to grab RotomDex and began examining it, making RotomDex slightly uncomfortable.

“Haha,” Ash laughed nervously, “I guess you’ve never seen these kinds of Pokemon before, huh?” he asked Rhia.

“No, never! The Pokemon in this region are awesome, and all of yours are wonderful,” said Rhia, “I guess it’s time to introduce my team, isn’t it? Alright then, let’s start with Beauty!” Rhia’s Delcatty confidently walked in front of her, striking a glamorously rehearsed pose. The Pokemon master introduced her Pokemon one by one, each with an explanation, just as she showed Team Rocket one day prior; the only thing different was the story behind Phoenix, her ‘starter’ Pokemon. The students beamed with excitement as they watched the performance, yet they were stunned at the sight of how strong those Pokemon looked.

“Now I’m sure everyone wants to see The Fab Five in action,” exclaimed Rhia, “and the best way is to demonstrate!” Rhia glanced over to a long line of Pokemon trainers and Alolan townspeople who were all patiently waiting to battle her.

“Let’s begin!” Rhia shouted and the first trainer in line nervously approached her. She battled with Atlantis first, defeating the trainer’s Pokemon with one single surf attack. The Pokemon battles continued, with Rhia alternating her Pokemon each time and explaining her battle strategies to the students.

“Ugh, I can’t wait to challenge her to a battle,” Ash thought to himself. Naively, he did not notice that Rhia was defeating even the toughest trainers in Alola with only one, simple attack. After the battles were over, Rhia explained more strategy tips to the students of the Pokemon School and answered all of their many questions.

“Hey Rhia,” said Kiawe, “Do you think maybe you can help Turtonator and I out with a new move? We just can’t seem to get it perfect.”

“Of course!” shouted Rhia, “I’d be more than happy to help. But first, I think the rest of today should be a bit more fun, don’t you think?” The students looked puzzledly at her, they were already enjoying themselves plenty.

“Hey professors, do you mind if we head to the beach to practice some new moves? I think the Pokemon would enjoy it,” Rhia inquired.

“Like we said, do whatever you feel is right!” laughed Professor Kukui, “No need to ask.”

“Awesome! Let’s get going right now!” cheered Ash enthusiastically.

For the remainder of the school day, Ash, Lana, Lillie, Mallow, Sophocles, and Kiawe spent some quality time with their role model, Rhia. She was sure to help teach each one of their Pokemon a new move, which the students were eternally grateful for. When Rhia grew tired of teaching, she decided that the rest of the afternoon should be dedicated to fun. The Pokemon all played together happily on the seashore, and the trainers shared hilarious stories from their journeys. The students were able to get to know the renowned Pokemon master as a friend, rather than just as a celebrity. However, when asked about the ‘R’ bracelet on her wrist and how her journey began, Rhia was quick to formulate a believable lie to tell her newly acquired friends…


	6. A Sneaky Plan

**Chapter 6**

        Time certainly flies by when having fun; the sun began to set across the ocean, and the day came to an end. On normal days, school didn’t last longer than mid-afternoon, but the last thing the students wanted to do was go home.

        “Looks like it’s time for all of us to head home,” said Rhia as she had all of her Pokemon return to their Pokeballs.

        “Ugh, already?” groaned Sophocles. “Today was so much fun, I wish you could be a part of our class all the time!” he announced to Rhia.

        “I agree,” said Rhia calmly, “but unfortunately, all good things have to come to an end. Thank you, professors, for having me here today. It was an incredible experience!”

        “No need to thank us, Rhia,” replied Professor Kukui, “You were a huge asset to both me and Samson, as well as the students!”

        “Professor Kukui’s right,” commented Lillie, “Feel free to come visit us here anytime! We’d love to see you again!”

        “Well thank you all for your kindness and friendship,” Rhia said gratefully, “Today was unforgettable. Anyways, I should get going, best of luck to you…” Rhia was suddenly interrupted.

        “…Rhia, wait!” It was Ash, and he ran right up in front of her. “I’ve been wanting to ask you something all day... Would you have a battle with me?” The other students, including the professors, gasped in astonishment from hearing Ash’s request.

        With a surprised look on her face, Rhia responded, “Hmm, well I don’t see why not! I’ll accept your challenge!” She has yet to turn down a Pokemon battle, and she definitely wasn’t going to start today. Ash overflowed with excitement, and mentally prepared for their battle along the ocean front.

       

        The other students and the professors watched from the sidelines as the battle began. Rhia chose to battle with Beauty, and Ash released Rowlet as his first partner for this challenge.

        “Beauty, use flamethrower!” Rhia shouted, with her precious Pokemon proceeding to set Ash’s Rowlet ablaze… Knocking him out cold in one attack!

        “Oh no! Rowlet, return!” Ash yelled nervously, while releasing his second Pokemon, Rockruff. “Go, use rock throw!”

        “Beauty, dodge it and use hydro pump!” Rhia announced confidently. Beauty jumped out of the way, and sprayed a huge cannon of water directly at Rockruff. Yet again, Ash’s Pokemon fainted instantly.

        “Seriously?! Hydro pump too? Man… Rockruff, return,” Ash said, sounding slightly discouraged. “Guess it’s up to you, buddy,” Ash said to his best friend. Pikachu pridefully got himself ready for battle. “We can win together Pikachu, I just know it,” he said quietly.

        Pikachu did not wait for Ash’s command. Instead, he launched a full-power electro ball attack straight towards Beauty. Rhia’s Pokemon was hit, but the attack did little to no damage. Ash’s jaw dropped, he was in utter shock. How could Pikachu’s powerful electro ball have no effect?

        “Good try, Ash,” said Rhia, in a weak attempt to lift his spirits, “but I think we’ve got this one in the bag. Beauty, finish off this battle with hyper beam!”

        “H…hyper beam?” stuttered Ash as Beauty defeated Pikachu in one final, supercharged blast. Ash was out of Pokemon, and he officially lost the battle with the Pokemon master. Inside, he was crushed with defeat, as he has never lost so quickly to just a single Pokemon. Embarrassment washed over him, then Rhia began to speak.

        “I appreciate your effort and bravery, Ash,” Rhia said to him kindly, “You have amazing potential as a trainer. Just keep making your Pokemon stronger, and I’ll be sure to have a rematch with you someday!” Rhia glanced down at her cell phone to check the clock. “Oh my goodness, would you look at the time! It’s getting late, we should all head out. Thank you all again, I had a blast today! See you guys later,” she announced as she walked towards a black limousine.

        “Bye Rhia!” yelled the students, while Professor Kukui and Samson Oak waved goodbye. Lana then turned to Ash and consoled him on his loss.

        “It’s okay, Ash,” she said sweetly, “No need to beat yourself up about it. Even if we all teamed up together, we probably still couldn’t defeat Rhia. One day, though, you’ll be stronger than her! You can count on that.”

        Ash smiled for less than a moment, “Thanks Lana, I’ll see you guys tomorrow…” Ash dragged himself away from the school with his head hung down in disappointment, but a fire still burning within his heart.

        Meanwhile, Rhia was sitting in the back of the limousine with Beauty next to her, pondering the same thought she had the previous night. As a few final thoughts raced through her mind, she smiled, with a hint of evil and trickery within this grin.

        As she gazed out the window, she thought to herself, “Well, I guess I’ve got a plan. I can’t wait to tell Jessie, James, and Meowth!”

       

        Back at the resort, Team Rocket was living it up at the spa. Jessie was receiving a manicure and a pedicure, as well as a cucumber and avocado facial. James was enjoying a back massage, and Meowth was relaxing in the volcanic clay bath. They were definitely basking in the good life.

        “Isn’t this lovely, James?” asked Jessie tranquilly.

        James replied, “Oh yes, I feel like I’m rich again!”

        Meowth added, “Dont’cha ya fools love a little R&R? Our old pal Rhia was right, we did need a vacation!” The trio sighed peacefully, and drifted back into their stress-free trance. However, their relaxation session was soon interrupted. Someone came barging through the doors with an urgent message; it was Rhia.

        “What’s up guys?!” Rhia said in an overly-excited tone. Team Rocket immediately knew something was up. “Sorry to interrupt your chill time, but I’ve got something really really important to tell you!” she continued, “As soon as you’re done, come up to the hotel room. I don’t want anyone overhearing… Alright, see ya soon!” Rhia ran out of the spa just as quickly as she came in. Jessie, James, and Meowth looked confusedly at each other, but agreed to cut their spa time short; friends were more important. They speedily gathered their towels (and stole a few extras), then proceeded to head to the elevator up to the penthouse room.

        The penthouse hotel room was extravagant and fit for a king/queen. There was a full living room, dining area, and two bedrooms with bathrooms attached to both. The kitchen was slightly small, but still boasted a specialty area to make coffee and tea. Team Rocket entered the room, which was guarded by security, and noticed Rhia sitting impatiently on the sectional sofa right as they walked through the door.

        “Hey guys! Come sit down, I’ve got this awesome butler making tea for us right now,” Rhia called over to Team Rocket. The trio sat on the couch alongside their old friend.

        “So Rhia, what’s going on?” asked Jessie curiously.

        “Well, you see, I’ve kinda come up with this crazy plan,” Rhia replied.

        “Plan? What kind of plan?” James asked.

        “And if it’s crazy, we should definitely be part of it,” Meowth added comically.

        “No worries there, Meowth,” Rhia began, “You guys will definitely be a crucial part of it. Actually, the only reason I made up this plan is only to help you all…”

        “Really?” Team Rocket asked simultaneously, being slightly stunned.

        “Yeah, I think it’ll really help you guys out,” Rhia continued, “Anyways, hear me out. I’ve got the details planned to a T! So, you guys know that kid Ash and his Pikachu, right?”

        “Unfortunately yes, we’re very familiar with that twerp,” said James sounding slightly distraught from thinking about Team Rocket’s many failures.

        “How would you guys like to finally be victorious in catching that Pikachu?” Rhia asked, grinning evilly.

        “Vic…tor….i…ous?” Team Rocket stuttered, in astonishment from just hearing of victory.

        “Yes, victorious!”, Rhia exclaimed, “Now, are you guys ready to hear my plan?” Jessie, James, and Meowth swiftly nodded their heads.

        “Great,” Rhia continued, “So, today I made pretty good friends with those kids at the Pokemon School; they asked me all sorts of questions, admired my every move, yada yada. Typical fans. Well, I kinda gained their trust, and I can use that to our advantage if you think about it. They even welcomed me back anytime I want! In that case, tomorrow I’m going back to the school to train with the kids again. I’m gonna surprise em’…” Her plan speech was suddenly interrupted.

        “We don’t care about you surprising those silly twerps, what’s that gotta do with us?” asked Jessie, who was becoming slightly impatient.

        “Just wait a sec, I’m just getting to the good part,” Rhia continued, “Anyways, I’m gonna have the Pikachu kid come with me on a walk to have a private training session away from the others. Then, I’ll tell him that I want to help make Pikachu stronger and ask him if we could train together for a while…” She was interrupted yet again.

        “What are you? Bananas? Dat Pikachu don’t need any more special trainin’!” Meowth yelled.

        “Hold on! Just let me finish you guys!” Rhia shouted, “SO, I’m gonna take that Pikachu on a long walk with me into the forest, train with him a little bit, and then give him this pill for strength!” She proceeded to pull out a medium-sized red pill from her purse.

        “Oh my goodness Rhia, are you trying to get us Pika-zapped to bits? You’re mad!” James shouted loudly.

        Rhia sighed, “Ugh… James, this is a tranquilizing pill. Pikachu will fall asleep minutes after I give this to him. See, I told you guys to let me finish…”

        Team Rocket nearly jumped out of their seats, “We’re sorry, really sorry! No more interruptions, please, please go on!” they pleaded in unison.

        Rhia grinned, “Alrighty then. Once Pikachu passes out, I’ll bring him to you guys at the big oak tree in the middle of the Bensoma Forest. Please, arrange a helicopter, because I want you all to take him to Giovanni immediately so this can be as successful as possible. I’ll let you have one of my indestructible jars to put him in…” Yet another interruption.

        “WOOHOO! We’re gonna win! We’re gonna be rich! Promotions! Big bonus!” Team Rocket began celebrating before Rhia was done explaining the entirety of her plan.

        “HOLD UP,” Rhia yelled sternly, “I haven’t gotten to the BEST part! Right after you drop off Pikachu, I want you guys to come back to the forest where I’ll stay waiting. I’ll give you my Pokemon team to borrow, and they’ll listen to your every command. I’ll run back to those kids and tell them you guys stole my Pokemon along with Ash’s Pikachu! Of course they’ll want to be brave and find you guys, so I’ll lead them to you, and you can defeat them with the Pokemon you ‘stole’ from me! In the midst of the battle, I’ll run off to the tallest pine tree and meet up with you guys after those kiddos run back crying to the professors. And you guys can be victorious all around! So what do you say?!”

        Team Rocket stared at Rhia; what she was saying sounded too good to be true. Capture Pikachu AND defeat the twerp in a ‘fair and square’ Pokemon battle? To them, it sounded unreal.

        “…James, pinch me to wake me up if I’m dreaming,” said Jessie, who was utterly stunned. James pinched Jessie, Jessie pinched Meowth, and Meowth scratched James right across the face. They were wide awake alright, and instantly realized that Rhia’s plan was going to be a definite success.

        “WE’RE IN! LET’S DO THIS!” Team Rocket cheered in unison.

        “Fantastic! I’m so excited,” Rhia proclaimed, “Now, we pretty much have all the details in order… We can figure everything else out tomorrow!”

        “Thank you Rhia, so much,” said James gratefully.

        “Yeah, we couldn’t be doin’ dis’ widdout ya!” cried Meowth happily, with tears twinkling in his eye.

        Jessie added, “You are truly our greatest ally. How can we ever repay you?”

        “There’s no need,” Rhia responded, “It’s no extra stress for me, plus it adds some mischief to this vacation! All the more fun!”

        As they sipped from their teacups and discussed the greatness of their plan, Rhia noticed the smiles on her friend’s faces were even bigger than the previous day. Her plan was foolproof, and she was yet again helping them in their hardest quest; just like she did when she was a child.


	7. The Foolproof Capture

**Chapter 7**

        “Alright everyone,” announced Professor Kukui at the beginning of class, “today your quest is to go out into the Bensoma Forest and look for new Pokemon, as well as train your own! I want you to battle against each other to make your Pokemon stronger.” The students listened to their teacher excitedly, another day of fun at the Pokemon School was about to unfold. They began deciding which items to take and packed up their backpacks, when suddenly, they heard a loud ringing. It was Professor Kukui’s cell phone.

        “Hmm, I wonder who this could be?” the professor proceeded to answer the call. “Hello? Oh, hi Rhia! I’m surprised to be hearing from you so soon… Good question, the students are going out into the forest today to work on training their Pokemon… Oh? Well of course you can tag along, I’m sure the students would love to have you teach them some more. Wow, you’re already outside!? I’ll have everyone come down there right away,” he hung up the phone.

        “Professor,” asked Sophocles, “is Rhia really here?!” The entire class beamed with excitement.

        “Yes, she’s right downstairs,” replied the professor, “looks like she’s going to be helping you train your Pokemon again today!”

        “SWEET!” yelled Lillie. The students hurried down the stairs to the yard where Rhia was waiting.

        “Hey guys,” exclaimed Rhia, “are you all ready to train with me some more?” Everyone said yes and nodded their heads in agreement. “Great,” she continued, “Let’s head out!”

 

        As the students from the Pokemon School held battles against each other, Rhia cheered them on and gave them helpful hints to try out. Ash’s disappointed spirits were suddenly lifted as he gained the motivation to impress Rhia with his skills, defeating every single one of his classmates. He was definitely trying to make up for his loss the previous day. Even Rhia took notice to it, and saw it as the perfect opportunity to kick-start her plan…

        “Hey Ash,” Rhia proceeded to step towards him, “I noticed your determination and enthusiasm in battle, and like I said, you have great potential as a trainer! I think all you need is some special training,” Rhia winked at Ash. Immediately, Ash was smitten by her beauty and by the words that she just spoke.

        “W…what kind of special training?” Ash stammered.

        “Let’s take a walk and you’ll find out!” Rhia smiled big as she yelled to the others, “We’ll be right back!”

        Ash and Rhia began to trek deeper and deeper into the forest. They stopped at a hollow log to sit down for a minute, and Rhia released an Alakazam from a rainbow-colored Pokeball.

        “This is Magic,” Rhia began, “He’s a pretty strong psychic type, but he’s not as powerful as the rest of my team. I think he’ll be a great practice partner for your Pikachu!”

        “Right!” Ash yelled, sounding determined, “Are you ready to battle, Pikachu?”

        “Pika pi!!” Pikachu said excitedly.

        “Alright then, Magic, time to shine!” Rhia shouted as their match began. The battle between Ash’s Pikachu and Rhia’s Alakazam was a fairly even lineup, with both of them hitting strong attacks back and forth. Suddenly, the match was interrupted.

        “Time out!” Rhia shouted, “You did great Ash, and so did you, Pikachu!” They both smiled and thanked the Pokemon master. She continued, “I think you should go back with the others and spend some quality time training Rowlet and Rockruff,” she grinned sneakily, and Ash didn’t seem to notice.

        “That’s a great idea, I’ll use some of the tips you showed me earlier!” Ash said happily.

        “In the meantime,” Rhia replied, “can I spend some one-on-one time training with Pikachu? I’ve never had much experience with electric types, but maybe I can help him become the best of the best too!”

        Ash’s eyes lit up with glee, “Really? You’d do that for us? Wow, Rhia, you’re the best! Alright Pikachu, have fun! I’ll see ya guys later!” Ash cheered as he ran down the path back to his classmates.

        “C’mon Pikachu,” said Rhia with a big grin, “Let’s rock ‘n’ roll!” Pikachu walked happily down the path with Rhia, deeper into the depths of the forest…

        “Okay, this looks like a good spot!” After walking for a few minutes, Rhia found the perfect battleground to train Pikachu. The two stopped and looked around, and Rhia bent down to talk to the electric mouse.

        “Before you battle, I want you to take this!” she pulled out a decent sized red pill out of her purse and offered it to Pikachu, “It’s a vitamin for strength; it’ll make your attacks twice as powerful!” Pikachu cheered and happily took the pill from her hand and washed it down with some water. “Great. Now we can begin training! Beauty, let’s go!” Pikachu secretly panicked as he faced Beauty, remembering his loss the previous day.

        “Use ice beam and freeze Pikachu!” Rhia shouted. In a fraction of a second, Pikachu was trapped in a frozen block of ice.

        “Now, use flamethrower!” Rhia commanded, and Beauty thawed the ice just as quick as she froze it. Pikachu became paralyzed from the impact, and was unable to attack. However, as the paralysis wore off, the sleeping pill set in. Pikachu became drowsy and relaxed, then slowly drifted into a good night’s sleep.

        “Perfect!” praised Rhia, “Great job Beauty!” she said as she pet her best friend on the head. Rhia approached Pikachu, then placed him gently into a glass jar that fit him perfectly. The lid was made of steel, and she screwed it on tight.

        Team Rocket was waiting at the big oak tree, the planned meeting place, just a few minutes away. They were standing next to a helicopter with the classic red ‘R’ on the side, with their Meowth-shaped balloon deflated beside the chopper. Suddenly, they noticed two familiar figures approaching, and one of them was carrying the prize.

        “You did it!” Team Rocket cheered all together as Rhia and Beauty confidently strutted towards them. Rhia handed the jar containing Pikachu to Meowth.

        “Sorry to rain on the parade guys,” Rhia said hastily, “but you’ve gotta get a move on, and fast.”

        “Right,” the trio quickly agreed. They proceeded to climb into the helicopter and took off a few moments later.

        “We’ll meet you back here in a bit!” James yelled from the chopper as Team Rocket flew towards headquarters, the opposite direction from where the twerps were training.

        “Hmm, might as well have some lunch to pass the time,” Rhia said quietly to herself, “Come on out, everyone!” She released Atlantis, Phoenix, King, and Stoner from their Pokeballs, and sat down with her Pokemon for a picnic next to Team Rocket’s balloon, patiently waiting for her friends to return…

      

        After a brief helicopter ride, Jessie, James, and Meowth arrived at headquarters. They strolled into the multi-story corporate building and instantly made their way up to the boss’ office at the top floor. Passing through the entrance, however, Team Rocket was faced with several low-level grunts congratulating them on their capture.

        “I guess this is what being famous feels like,” Jessie giggled to her two teammates. Soon enough, they arrived at Giovanni’s office and confidently walked straight through the doors. Jessie then exclaimed, “Boss, we have some good news.”

        Giovanni turned around in his fancy office chair to face them, “Well that’s a nice change,” he said sarcastically. His glance flashed down to Pikachu fast asleep in the jar, and chuckled evilly. “Looks like you fools finally captured that Pikachu,” Giovanni said spitefully, “so, how did you do it?”

        Jessie, James, and Meowth froze in their tracks, desperately trying to formulate a believable lie. There was no way they could tell the boss the truth.

        “…Y…Ya see, it was da good ol’ pitfall trap!” Meowth stuttered nervously, “Yeah! Dat’s how we did it!”

        The boss looked at Meowth suspiciously for a second, then snickered, “A pitfall? Hah! Well regardless, the deed is done. And I guess you three deserve some sort of compensation for this, you have been trying and failing at it for so long, it’s only fair!” Giovanni reached down beside him and lifted up a black briefcase, and set it on his desk. “Here is your money…” he opened the briefcase, and the trio stared with diamonds in their eyes.

        “Four million dollars cash,” the boss continued. Jessie, James, and Meowth were screaming and crying tears of joy on the inside, but tried their best to remain calm and collected on the outside.

        “Thank you, sir,” said Team Rocket in unison as they thanked Giovanni and shook his hand one by one.

        “Now,” the boss said sternly, “You three should go on a vacation, I guess you’ve earned it. In two weeks, I need you all to return to headquarters at once, because you will be crucial members in my newest plan.” Giovanni smiled fiendishly.

        “Of course, sir! We’ll see you in two weeks,” Jessie said cheerfully as she closed up the briefcase and carried it out of the office, walking alongside James and Meowth. The trio waited until they were off the grounds of headquarters to celebrate.

        “WE DID IT!” yelled James.

        “All dis money is ours! We’re as rich as dey come!” Meowth shouted.

        “And now, we finally get to be winners!” exclaimed Jessie, “Let’s go show that twerp what Team Rocket is made of.” The trio shared an evil laugh, and hopped back in the helicopter to continue the second, and best, portion of Rhia’s master plan.


	8. Team Rocket's Victory

**Chapter 8**

As Team Rocket arrived at the big oak tree in the center of the Bensoma Forest, Rhia was finishing up the relaxing picnic with her Pokemon. She noticed that each one of her friends had a huge grin plastered on their face. “So,” she began, “I’m guessing everything went well?”

“Well is an understatement!” cried James excitedly.

“Da boss gave us a whole box fulla’ cash for Pikachu,” Meowth exclaimed, “and we’re gonna be important members of his newest plan!”

Jessie concluded, “And now we get to win!”

“Great! I’m so happy everything’s working out so well,” Rhia smiled, “but now it’s time for you guys to battle those kids. The question is… who battles with which Pokemon?” Immediately after hearing her trainer’s words, Beauty happily trotted next to Meowth and rubbed her head against his shoulder. Rhia giggled, “Well, I guess Meowth has his battle partner. You and Beauty will make a great team.” Rhia reached inside her purse and pulled out a jumbo-sized gold coin. “Jessie and James, pick heads or tails.”

“Tails!” Jessie exclaimed before James could utter a word.

“Well, I guess I pick heads.” James said. Rhia flipped the coin high into the air, and it crashed down landing on tails.

“Alright, Jessie gets first pick, and James can choose after. Then repeat one more time,” Rhia explained.

“Sweet!” yelled Jessie excitedly, “I choose King, the legendary Groudon!”

“Alright then,” James replied, “We both should have a strong fire type, so I’ll go with Phoenix!” Phoenix ran over to James and gave him a high-five.

“Hmm,” Jessie said, “I think Aggron will be a powerhouse, so I’ll pick Stoner!”

“That leaves you with me, Atlantis,” said James kindly, “I hope you’re alright with that!” Each of Rhia’s Pokemon proceeded to walk over to their respectable temporary trainers, looking confident and ready for a fight.

“Alright gang, I’m gonna go back to the training field,” Rhia began, “Follow me, but stay back a little ways so they can’t see you. I’ll lead them back to you, and you battle your hearts out! After they leave, head east to the biggest pine tree a bit further in the forest, I’ll be there waiting!”

“Sounds like a plan,” Jessie replied maniacally. Rhia began to fake cry in front of Team Rocket, and ran back towards the students from the Pokemon School.

“Are you guys ready for dis?” Meowth confidently asked his human teammates.

“As ready as we’ve ever been,” replied Jessie and James in unison. The trio had Rhia’s Pokemon return to their Pokeballs, then jumped into their famous balloon and flew far behind Rhia.

Meanwhile, back where the students were training, Ash was in the midst of a battle with Mallow. As Rockruff was about to use stealth rock one more time to finish off Steenee, the match was suddenly interrupted.

Ash turned his head towards the distraction; it was Rhia, and she was crying heavily and running full speed out of the forest…There were also no Pokemon with her. Immediately, everyone knew something was very wrong.

“Rhia!” cried the students as they all ran over to her.

“What’s going on?” asked Kiawe worriedly.

“You guys, something terrible has happened!” whimpered Rhia in between sobs, “I was training with Pikachu and… and then this crew came out, said a silly motto, attacked us and stole all of my Pokemon! And Pikachu too… Oh Ash, I’m so sorry!”

“It’s okay,” Ash said calmly, “what did they look like?”

“Well,” Rhia responded, “there was a red-haired woman and a purple-haired man, and they had a talking Meowth with them…”

“Team Rocket!” all the students shouted in unison.

“We’ll get your Pokemon back, we’ve done this a bunch of times!” said Mallow pridefully, “Those crooks aren’t going anywhere!”

“Yeah!” shouted Lillie, “Rhia, can you lead us to where you saw them last?”

“Of course,” Rhia replied as she ran alongside the students, searching for Team Rocket. The group ran straight along a path consistently through the forest for a few minutes, until they were faced with a Meowth-shaped balloon right in front of them, and Team Rocket was grinning evilly inside.

“Team Rocket!” screamed Ash, “What did you do with Pikachu and Rhia’s Pokemon?”

“Hahahahaha!” Team Rocket laughed evilly in unison.

“Prepare for trouble, twerp, your Pikachu’s gone,” Jessie began to recite.

“And make it double, ‘cause you know that we’ve won!” James continued.

“To protect the world from devastation,”

“To unite all peoples within our nation.”

“To denounce the evils of truth and love,”

“To extend our reach to the stars above.”

“Jessie!”

“And James!’

“Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!”

“Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!”

“Meowth, that’s right!” chimed the talking Meowth as he jumped up on the rim of the balloon basket, with Beauty right beside him.

The students gasped, and Jessie began to speak, “Sorry to break your heart, twerp, but Pikachu is already adapting in his new home at headquarters with the boss!” She laughed maniacally.

“No!” yelled Ash, sounding more worried than usual, “You thieves are lying! I know he’s up there with you!” He turned to his fellow classmates, “C’mon guys, let’s beat ‘em and get all the Pokemon back!”

“Yeah!” yelled Mallow, Kiawe, Lillie, Lana, and Sophocles as they released all of their Pokemon to defeat Team Rocket.

Jessie, James, and Meowth snickered amongst themselves. Meowth shouted, “Oh really twerps? Let’s see ya win battlin’ against our new friends!” Beauty immediately jumped down from the balloon, and Team Rocket released the Pokeballs containing Rhia’s other four immensely strong Pokemon. Ash and his friends gasped in unison, how could Team Rocket take control of such a loyal Pokemon team?

“Oh no!” yelled Ash, attempting to grasp the situation at hand. Before he had time to address Rhia, her Pokemon began firing attacks directly at them. A flaming blaze kick from Phoenix knocked out Rowlet and Steenee simultaneously, and a gushing waterfall from Atlantis wiped out Turtonator and Rockruff. The heroes were quickly outnumbered.

“Dollface, you know what to do!” cheered Meowth, “Electrocute dat Poplio!” Beauty struck Poplio down with a swift thunderbolt instantly. After she attacked, Beauty noticed her trainer, Rhia, sneakily running off during the mayhem.

“Melt that chilly Vulpix, Phoenix!” shouted James, and Snowy was knocked out cold in one fire blast attack, just like the others.

Ash begun to panic, because the only Pokemon left on their side was Togedemaru, and he knew Sophocles’ partner wouldn’t stand a chance.

“That’s all you’ve got?” mocked Jessie, “how pathetic! King, let’s finish it off, shall we? Use earthquake!” King lifted up his monstrous foot and slammed it on the ground, causing the entire forest to shake violently. Sophocles picked up Togedemaru, who fainted from the attack.

“We’re out of Pokemon! We have to retreat!” yelled Sophocles to the others.

“But Team Rocket’s gonna get away!” cried Ash.

“We have no choice!” screamed Kiawe, sounding frustrated, “Our Pokemon are injured badly, we need to get them back to the Pokemon School right now!”

“I guess you’re right…” said Ash, with small tears forming in his eyes. Him and the rest of the students began to run as fast as they could back to the school grounds.

“Bye twerps!” said James, mocking their loss.

“Hope we see ya again soon!” laughed Meowth. The balloon began to rise from the ground the moment the students were out of sight, and swayed east towards the towering pine tree.

“We officially did it!” Jessie cheered, “We finally beat the twerps!”

“Yeah! Woohoo!” James and Meowth joined in, striking a pose all together followed with a group high-five. Their celebratory moment was soon interrupted.  

“Hey guys!” yelled a voice from the ground, “I’m down here!” Team Rocket peered down from the edge of the basket and saw Rhia smiling and waving up at them. The trio cheered and greeted their friend, and James commanded Atlantis to fly down and pick her up. The pelican-like Pokemon scooped up his trainer and placed her gently in the basket of the balloon. Rhia was welcomed with a giant bear-hug from Team Rocket.

“Your plan worked perfectly, Rhia!” exclaimed James.

“Yeah, wit da help of your Pokemon pals of course!” commented Meowth.

“You were right, Team Rocket IS finally victorious!” cheered Jessie.

“That’s fantastic!” beamed Rhia, “I’m so glad every part of this worked! Now, let’s head out of here and enjoy the rest of the day! Does that sound good?” Team Rocket happily said yes, and soared through the sky in their balloon back to the resort for more rest and relaxation.


	9. Twisted Pokemon Master

**Chapter 9**

Ash, Lana, Kiawe, Lillie, Mallow, and Sophocles ran as fast as they could back to the Pokemon school holding back tears of frustration in their eyes. The most distraught, obviously, was Ash, because his best friend in the world was suddenly taken from him. The students hurried on their way to the school garden, where Professor Kukui and Samson Oak were watering the flowers. The professors glanced up and noticed the students running towards them at full speed, and they instantly had a sense there was trouble.

“Professor Kukui! Samson!” Ash yelled as he approached the professors, “You’ve gotta help our Pokemon!”

“They’re injured badly!” commented Kiawe.

“Oh my! Let’s head to the clinic right away,” said Samson Oak in astonishment. The professors and students sprinted into the on-campus Pokemon Center located just a few yards away. The students ran directly towards the front counter and handed their injured Pokemon to Nurse Jane, a distant cousin of Nurse Joy.

“You all should be more careful!” said Nurse Jane, sounding slightly agitated. “Your Pokemon are in bad shape!”

“It wasn’t our fault!” yelled Lillie.

“Yeah!” shouted Ash, “It was Team Rocket! They stole Pikachu and Rhia’s Pokemon!”

“What?!” asked a surprised Professor Kukui, “Alright, let’s go sit down upstairs and talk about this, your Pokemon need to rest.” The students agreed, and they proceeded to head up to the classroom.

“So what on earth happened? Tell me from the beginning,” said Professor Kukui concerningly.

Ash began, “Okay, when we were all training, Rhia noticed how good me and Pikachu were doing in battles, so she offered to give us a private training lesson. We battled for a while and she told me she wanted one-on-one time with Pikachu, so I went back with everyone else to train Rowlet and Rockruff. But when Rhia came back she was crying, and told us her Pokemon were stolen along with Pikachu by Team Rocket! So we went to fight ‘em and get our Pokemon back, but Team Rocket had complete control over Rhia’s Pokemon! They beat us and hurt our Pokemon bad… And they took off with Pikachu…”

“Didn’t they say that Pikachu was already at some sort of headquarters?” added Mallow reluctantly.

“Oh, no,” commented Professor Kukui, “I really hope that’s not true. Samson probably knows more about Kanto region crime organizations than I do, so I’ll have him come up here right now,” he dialed a number on his cell phone. Meanwhile, the students were now calm enough to have a discussion amongst each other about what just happened.

“You guys… how did Team Rocket manage to steal Rhia’s Pokemon?” asked Lana inquisitively, “Don’t you think she’s dealt with bad guys before?”

“I don’t know…” added Sophocles, as he lifted his head up and looked around. “Now that you mention it, where could Rhia have gone?”

“Good question…” answered Ash, “All of her Pokemon were stolen by Team Rocket, so she can’t fight them all alone!”

“And she is here on vacation,” commented Lillie, “so she probably isn’t too familiar with the city.”

“I don’t understand why she didn’t come back to the school with us,” Kiawe said, “it just doesn’t make sense.”

As the students had their conversation, Samson Oak walked up the stairs to the elevated classroom. When he got to the very top step, he noticed an odd, square piece of paper lying face down at the edge of the entryway. He picked it up, slowly turned it over, and what he saw made his jaw drop.

“Everyone,” said a stunned Samson, “I think you all should take a look at this.” He placed the square paper on the front desk, with the class surrounded around to see it. What they saw absolutely shocked them; it was a polaroid photograph selfie of Rhia with Team Rocket at the beach, all with big smiles on their faces.

Ash’s astonishment quickly turned to rage. He began fuming, “What?! How could I trust her? I didn’t know she was friends with Team Rocket!”

“…Did she trick us?” asked a nervous Sophocles.

“Maybe she did,” replied Kiawe coldly, “I mean, think about it. It looks like she’s familiar with Team Rocket. Why else would she choose Pikachu for a private lesson? She’s probably an agent undercover!”

“And also..” Lillie said quietly, “when we were battling, Team Rocket called Rhia’s Pokemon by their nicknames and knew their moves by heart.”

“Not to mention she disappeared instead of coming back here with us,” said Mallow.

“Those are good points,” replied Professor Kukui, “but, we can’t make any final conclusions here, though I think we can personally come to a revelation.”

Samson Oak continued from what his colleague said, “Yes, it looks like somehow, someway, Rhia sided with these criminals. If they tricked her at some point, who knows. We don’t know the why’s or the when’s, but that is not our concern right now, we’ll have the authorities handle that one.”

“Right,” Professor Kukui responded and handed his friend the photograph, “Samson, please call Officer Jenny and tell her we need search warrants right away on these four, as well as information on Team Rocket headquarters. We need to get Ash’s Pikachu back.”

“Of course,” said Samson as he walked downstairs to contact the police.

“Alright everyone,” announced Professor Kukui, “Go to the clinic and get your Pokemon, then you can head on home; class is ending early today.” Ash’s fellow classmates gave him words of encouragement one-by-one before they left the room. Professor Kukui stopped Ash before he was able to head downstairs.

“Ash,” said Professor Kukui kindly, “We’ll find Pikachu and Team Rocket, I promise. Just get some rest and we can figure out what you can do tomorrow.”

“…..Okay professor…” Ash mumbled quietly as he walked down the stairs with his head hung low. He was absolutely torn apart inside.

“How could I have let Pikachu down… He’s my best friend,” Ash thought to himself, “I hope he’s okay… Pikachu, I’m so sorry! I’ll find you, no matter what happens, I don’t care what it takes…” Ash’s thoughts raced through his mind as he began to cry tears of worry, guilt, anger, and defeat.

Even though Ash doesn’t realize it now, most tragic stories do have a happy ending…


	10. Criminals Returning Home

**Chapter 10**

“So Meowth,” stated Rhia confidently, “are you and Beauty ready to shine?”

“You bet,” replied Meowth, “Let’s show ‘em how strong we really are!” Rhia, Meowth, and Beauty were having a pep-talk in the backstage area before they walked out to the crowd. At the resort, Rhia was about to host a captivating seminar in the auditorium about the true power of normal-type Pokemon, and how they can learn a variety of move types when raised correctly. To Meowth’s surprise, Rhia was somehow able to teach him psybeam and ice punch, which he was eternally grateful for. The human and the two feline-like Pokemon happily cruised on stage, and were faced with the entire audience cheering the moment they stepped out.

“Hey future Pokemon masters,” Rhia addressed the crowd, sounding rehearsed, “How’s everybody doin’ today?!” The audience cheered even louder. “Great, well today I’m here to show you the true power of normal types! With these bad boys, you can have an ice type, an electric type, a psychic type, and even a fire type Pokemon all in one!” The audience gasped in anticipation. “Let’s demonstrate, shall we?”

Throughout the seminar, Rhia had Beauty and Meowth display their versatile moves one by one as she explained her strategy to the crowd. She also threw complimentary TM’s of flamethrower, ice beam, psychic, and aqua jet out into the audience like they were pieces of candy. For the final performance, Beauty and Meowth combined their moves for a breathtaking demonstration.

“Okay Meowth,” Rhia began, “use psybeam and make a heart shape in the air!” Meowth followed her instruction and used his newly acquired move to create the energy source directly over the crowd. “Now Beauty, use ice beam on Meowth’s attack!” Her Pokemon obeyed and froze the psybeam, resulting in a heart made of ice floating above the audience. A few moments later, it shattered, and scattered millions of sparkling snowflakes across the auditorium.

“Now that was definitely a performance fueled by love!” Rhia exclaimed, “Let’s give a hand to our feline friends, Meowth and Beauty, you both did wonderfully!” The audience gave the Pokemon a standing ovation, and cheered as loud as possible. Meowth felt more proud of himself, in that moment, than he ever has before. Rhia thanked the crowd and ended the seminar, then walked backstage where Jessie and James were waiting.

“That was impeccable,” shouted Jessie.

“Yes, phenomenal!” added James.

“Thanks guys!” Rhia began, “We had a great time out there. I don’t know about you,” as she looked down at Meowth and Beauty, “but all that showin’ off made me hungry! How about we grab some lunch?” Team Rocket happily agreed, and the group went back up to Rhia’s hotel room to change into disguises, so no one would recognize them while they’re out and about.

Jessie, James, Meowth and Rhia chatted gleefully as they walked down the sidewalk, heading towards the Corner Café for coffee drinks and lunch. As they approached the doorway to the eatery, they noticed a bulletin board posted right outside the main entrance. There was a large poster attached to it, which was titled “WANTED” in big, bold, red letters. Below the writing was none other than the photograph Team Rocket and Rhia captured together at the beach just a few days prior. Simultaneously, everyone’s jaw dropped.

Rhia began to panic instantly, “Oh no, oh no… What are we gonna do, they’re gonna find us and send us all to jail!” Her outburst caught the attention of a few townspeople passing by.

“Shh!” yelled Jessie, “We can’t blow our cover!”

James continued calmly, trying to help Rhia relax for a moment, “Yeah… Let’s just go inside.” Instantly, Rhia could tell that her friends were familiar with this sort of trouble. The group proceeded to walk to the back of the café, and sat down in a booth as far away from the other customers as possible, so they could discuss what they saw outside without any eavesdropping.

“Wow, da twerps were quick to get da police involved,” Meowth began, “But how’d dey get dat picture of us?” Rhia, who looked incredibly nervous, began searching through her neatly organized purse. After emptying all of the items from her purse on to the table, her face turned white.

“…Our picture isn’t here, it’s gone,” she began quietly, “It must’ve fell out of my purse somehow.”

“Well that explains how the twerps got it,” Jessie added, “and now they probably know that you helped us steal Pikachu too.”

“What?!” Rhia exclaimed, “How could this happen? Everything was going so well!”

James replied calmly, “That’s just what twerps do, they find the bad guys and defeat them.”

“We can’t let dat happen!” Meowth yelled, “We’ve come dis far, and now all we got’s a jail cell callin’ our names? We gotta jet outta here before dey find us!”

“I agree, Meowth,” replied Jessie, “We can’t stay in Alola any longer, it’s too risky!”

“But…” said Rhia disappointedly, “…But what about this vacation? And the sponsored trip? I’m supposed to give two more seminars tomorrow!”

“Rhia,” said James, “If anyone HAS to leave, it’s you. You can’t be a famous Pokemon master AND a wanted criminal, you’ll get caught for sure!”

Rhia paused for a moment, then spoke, “I guess you’re right. My face will be plastered on every billboard in the city before I know it… Ugh, why does everything have to turn out like this? Now I don’t know what I’m gonna do…”

“You’ll have plenty of time to figure that out,” replied Jessie, “but we really can’t waste any more time. We’ve gotta get going right now.” Even before their dishes arrived to them, Team Rocket and Rhia were already speedily heading out of the café. They left a hefty tip and an apology note for the waiter, and made their way back to Rhia’s hotel room to gather their belongings in a timely manner. James called a taxi and arranged it to pick them up, then take them to the airport.

The taxi ride to the airport was relatively quiet. The pep and high spirits Rhia possessed earlier were instantly erased; her and her friends were now wanted criminals in the Alola region. Suddenly, the thoughtful silence was interrupted.

“Hey guys,” Meowth commented sarcastically, “I don’t mean to pry, but where da heck are we goin’?”

“That’s a stupid question,” yelled Jessie, “we’re going to the airport!”

“I didn’t mean right now numb-brain,” Meowth said annoyedly, “I mean where we goin’ afta’ we get to da airport?”

“Oh,” replied Jessie, “Why should I know? James, where are we going?”

James responded with a smile, “To the airport, of course!” His naïve response was welcomed with a hard punch from Jessie.

“No you idiot,” Jessie shouted, “AFTER THE AIRPORT!”

“Shut up and stop fighting for a second! Geez,” Team Rocket’s squabble was soon ended by an agitated Rhia. “Since you guys have no clue what we’re doing, I’ll decide… then no one can argue!”

“…Okay,” replied Team Rocket in unison, startled by their friend’s sudden outburst.

“I wanna go back home to Kanto,” Rhia began, “Too many people know me in the Hoenn region, and Kanto’s the only other place I know… so we should go there.”

“Dat’s a great idea!” cried Meowth, “We’re from Kanto too, so we can all go home and take it easy for a while.”

“Ooooh!” said James, sounding delighted, “And also, my family owns a vacation house we can all hide out at! It’ll be fun, too!”

Jessie continued, “And from there, we can figure out our next steps along with what to do with all this money,” she was still holding the black briefcase containing their compensation from the boss.

“So, I guess it’s settled then,” Rhia said with a weak grin on her face, “Guess we’re going back to Kanto.” The four friends all shared a half-hearted smile as they continued on their way to the airport, attempting to escape the law.


	11. With a Little Help from My Friends

**Chapter 11**

        That night, Ash stayed up past midnight pondering his thoughts. He was absolutely crushed, and worrying about Pikachu made it impossible to sleep.

        “I wonder if Pikachu’s awake right now too…” Ash thought to himself, “How could I trust someone I barely knew with my best friend? Shows how great of a trainer I am… Ugh, Pikachu… If you can hear me right now, buddy, just know that I’m coming to get you myself and make this right! You can count on me!” Ash reminisced on past memories he’s had with Pikachu, then proceeded to cry until he drifted off into a deep slumber.

        The next morning, Ash woke up extremely early. He had a protein bar and orange juice for breakfast, then immediately sat down at Professor Kukui’s computer to make a phone call. He knew what he had to do.

        Ash began a three-way video call with his mom and Professor Samuel Oak in the Kanto region, and they both answered right away.

        “Hey Ash,” said his mother over the phone, “You’re up early!”

        “Why hello my boy,” began Professor Oak, “it’s great hearing from you. How is everything?”

        Ash answered the professor, “Not good,” his response resulted in disheartened expressions from both his mom and the Pokemon professor.

        “Oh no honey, what’s wrong?” his mother asked. Ash proceeded to tell them both the entire story surrounding Pikachu’s kidnapping; Rhia’s private training lesson, the battle and defeat from Team Rocket, and the fact that he was tricked by Rhia.

        “Ash, that’s horrifying! I’m so sorry you had to go through that,” said Professor Oak kindly, “but, you’re a fantastic trainer and an even better friend, so there’s no doubt in my mind that you’ll get Pikachu back! But, let me ask you a question, what was that girl’s name, the Pokemon master? Rhia, right?”

        Ash cringed at the sound of her name, “Yeah, that’s it.”

        Professor Oak looked down at the keyboard on his computer, “I have access to the international database of all Pokemon trainers, so let me look her up really quick. We might find out some important information,” the professor looked up Rhia’s info while Ash talked with his mom. Professor Oak interrupted, “Okay, well it says here that her home region is Hoenn. Looking up past home addresses…Huh? That’s strange. Refresh… What?! How is that possible?”

        “What?” asked Ash and his mother inquisitively.

        “The database states that Rhia has no current home address, and no prior addresses either, which is incredibly odd. I have never seen this empty of a page; the only information we have is her name, home region, number of badges, and what kind of Pokemon she has… Oh, and her age…fourteen. That’s all we have on record.”

        “That does sound strange,” Ash replied, “I guess we won’t be able to find her too easily.”

        Ash’s mother commented, “You know Ash, after all this chaos I think you should come home and rest up for a little while…Clear your mind.”

        “Mom!” Ash yelled, “There’s no time to waste! Who knows what’s happening to Pikachu while he’s in the clutches of Team Rocket! I know what I have to do, you guys. I’m coming back to Kanto tomorrow so I can go to Team Rocket Headquarters and get Pikachu back myself. I don’t care how dangerous it is. If I have my old friends by my side, I know we can accomplish anything…”

        “Are you talking about Brock and Misty?” asked Professor Oak.

        “Yeah,” said Ash, “I was gonna call them next and ask them if they wanted to tag along and help. Do you know what they’re up to these days?”

        “Well,” the professor replied, “Last time I checked, Misty is still a gym leader in Cerulean City, and Brock just became the Pewter City gym leader again.”

        “Great!” yelled Ash, “So they’re still in Kanto… I hate to hang up the phone in such a hurry, but I gotta call them and talk to them too! Thanks Professor Oak, love you mom, I’ll see you guys tomorrow!” Professor Oak and Ash’s mom said goodbye and hung up the call. Ash then hastily made another three-way video call, and got in touch with his oldest and closest friends moments later.

        Misty and Brock appeared to Ash on the computer, each on separate sides of the screen with a dividing line in between.

        “Hey Ash!” Misty said excitedly, “It’s been a while, how are you?”

        “Hey old pal,” said Brock happily, “What’cha been up to?”

        Ash became unnervingly serious, “Hey you guys, I know it’s sorta random for me to call out of nowhere, but I have to ask you guys a favor…” Ash proceeded to tell his old friends about the whole Pikachu-being-stolen scenario. “…And that’s kinda why I called. I need your help to find Pikachu. I’m coming back to Kanto tomorrow, and I was wondering if you guys wanted to come with me.”

        “Of course, Ash! You know we’d do anything to help you out!” said Misty proudly.

        “Yeah!” Brock agreed.

        “Great, so can you guys meet me at my house tomorrow around noon? We can head out right after that,” said Ash.

        “Definitely!” replied Brock, “but Ash, I don’t know if we’re gonna be able to find Team Rocket Headquarters. I’ve read articles, and they all said that the corporate office is almost impossible to locate.”

        “Brock has a point,” added Misty, “and also, how do you know that Jessie, James, and Meowth don’t still have Pikachu? They could’ve just decided to keep him for themselves..”

        Ash’s head hung down in disappointment. Here he was, with what he thought was a perfectly executed plan, now being told it was impossible. He spoke softly, “…Great. Now what are we gonna do?”

        “Well,” said Misty confidently, “I have an idea. We can try to find Team Rocket and have THEM escort us to headquarters…”

        “Misty, that’s a great idea!” exclaimed Brock.

        “You’re right!” yelled Ash, being suddenly cheered up, “It’ll be a whole lot easier to find those three stooges than a hidden corporate office!”

        “So it’s settled,” Brock began, “Misty and I will meet you at your house tomorrow and then we can start looking for Team Rocket! I mean, they probably came back to Kanto anyways, because that’s where headquarters is!”

        “Right!” said Ash, “Thank you so much you guys, you’re the best! I’ll see you soon!” The old friends hung up the video call, and Ash felt a surge of determination and revenge flow through his bones. Him, Brock, and Misty were gonna get Pikachu back with the power of teamwork and friendship.

        After Ash discussed his plan with Professor Kukui, he walked down to the Pokemon School where his classmates were outside practicing Z-move poses. He approached them looking happier than he was a day prior, but still looked like something was on his mind.

        “Hey! Ash is here!” yelled Mallow. The students walked right up to Ash and began asking him a plethora of questions; how was he? What is he gonna do about Pikachu? The list goes on. Ash proceeded to tell his fellow classmates his plan to go back to Kanto and locate Team Rocket and Pikachu with two of his old friends. The students were shocked to hear this, because Ash was more brave than any other trainer they’ve ever met.

        “…And that’s why I came down to the school,” Ash began, “I’m leaving for Kanto tomorrow morning, so I wanted to come back here to say goodbye. I’ve got important business to take care of. I might come back after all this is over, but I don’t know yet…”

        “We’re gonna miss you so much!” shouted Lillie.

        “Yeah, but we know you’ll be able to do it!” said Sophocles.

        “And we’ll be wishing you good luck here in Alola,” said Kiawe kindly.

        Professor Kukui commented as well, “Always remember, Ash, that you have a second family and a second home here if you ever want to come back. But, you do have to update us after your quest, that’s all we ask.”

        “Of course I will,” Ash began, “And I’m gonna miss you guys too. I’ve had so much fun studying here!”

        “Then let’s have our last little bit of fun before you go,” said Lana. The remainder of the day, the students laughed and played together with their Pokemon, keeping Ash’s mind off of Pikachu and the quest he had ahead of him. Everyone was having a blast. When the sun began to set, each student said their last goodbyes to Ash and wished him luck on his journey. Ash walked away from the Pokemon School, leaving behind friends and good memories. However, he wasn’t upset or angry; he was motivated. He went back to Professor Kukui’s home to get a good night’s sleep, as his brand-new adventure was beginning in the morning.

       

        Meanwhile, back at Team Rocket Headquarters, Pikachu had finally woken up from the slumber of the tranquilizing pill. Pikachu looked around and noticed he was in a very unfamiliar place, trapped in a glass jar. He glanced up at the entrance of the giant office, and noticed a giant red “R” plastid on the double doors. There was also a giant red “R” shaped carpet in the middle of the room, along with a red “R” in the middle of the desk he was sitting on. The same, familiar logo was everywhere; the red “R” strategically placed on Jessie and James’s uniforms…Pikachu immediately knew he was at Team Rocket Headquarters. He began utilizing his strongest moves to escape from the jar; electro ball, iron tail, thunderbolt, but none of them worked. Suddenly, a large, intimidating man wearing a suit appeared from the shadows. It was Giovanni, and he began to approach Pikachu. Frantically, Pikachu started firing off attacks, still trying to escape, and Giovanni laughed maniacally.

        “You’re a determined little rat, aren’t you?” Giovanni said sarcastically, “Well, there’s no way to escape from that jar. You’re stuck here with me now. I’m so glad those clowns brought you here when they did, because now you’re going to be a sole part in Team Rocket’s newest plan!” Pikachu kept on attacking, and Giovanni laughed menacingly, continuing for some time. After Pikachu tried and tried again to break the jar, he defeatedly gave up. A worried look crept across Pikachu’s face… What was going to happen to him?


	12. Rags, Riches, and Romance

**Chapter 12**

“I wonder what I’m gonna do now…” Rhia pondered her thoughts as she sat in the backseat of the taxi with her friends. Her, Jessie, James, and Meowth had arrived in the beautifully diverse, nature-filled Kanto region, and were on their way to James’ family’s vacation house on the outskirts of Saffron City. The car ride was relatively silent, so Rhia had time to think. “So within less than a week’s time, I went from being a Pokemon Master to a wanted criminal. I guess my Pokemon training career is over. Ugh, why did I throw my whole future away to help other people?” Rhia glanced over at her friends, and immediately felt a little better, “I guess I can’t say that… I’m glad I helped them. They couldn’t have done this without me. I did something good, even though it kinda put my life on hold. At least I have good friends by my side now,” Rhia continued to gaze out the window, deep in thought.

“Everything will be alright, trust me,” Jessie said softly as she gave Rhia a reassuring one-armed hug. Rhia smiled, and the taxi ride went back to silence for a while.

“Hey look! We’re here!” shouted James excitedly. Team Rocket and Rhia had arrived on an enormous property, complete with a wine vineyard and a separate five-car garage. The circular driveway with a fountain in the center welcomed them to a giant mansion, three stories tall.

“Uhh, James?” Rhia said hesitantly as Jessie and Meowth gazed onward in shock, “Are you sure this is the right place?”

“Of course it’s the right place!” James exploded with glee, “You all should know I come from a very wealthy background, my family is loaded with cash!”

Meowth smiled, then spoke, “Oh dat’s right! Jimmy here is as rich as dey come, and now we are too! Yeah!” Jessie, James, and Meowth cheered as they got out of the taxi. The friends carried their luggage into the main foyer of the mansion, which boasted a double staircase and a chandelier hanging down from the ceiling. Being too exhausted to unpack, Team Rocket and Rhia left their bags in the foyer for the time being. They proceeded to enter a large living area to sit down and have a chat. The humans sat down on the couches; Rhia on one, Jessie and James on the other while Meowth lit the fireplace.

“Thank you for bringing me here with you guys,” said Rhia kindly, looking into the fireplace.

“Oh my,” said James, “No need to thank us, WE are the ones who should be thanking you! You’re the reason for all of our success. You were the one who caught Pikachu. You gave us your Pokemon to battle with. So therefore, thank YOU Rhia!”

“If anything, we should be apologizing,” Jessie said coldly, “We ruined your life and your career as a Pokemon trainer. So we’re sorry for that too.”

“Don’t say that Jessie!” yelled Rhia, “You know that’s not true! Honestly, I’d much rather be on the run with you guys than being a celebrity in the Pokemon world.”

“Really? Are you speakin’ da truth?” asked Meowth, sounding surprised.

“Yes,” Rhia continued, “Being a celebrity was cool and all, but it got old after a while. Nobody knows who I really am, besides you three. I would lie and lie to those fans, and they worshipped everything I said like I was some PokeGod! The ‘friendships’ or whatever I made at the Pokemon School weren’t real. All they wanted to do was hear me talk, and for what? I’m good at training Pokemon, and? They only care about my status, not about me. The only true friends I have on this planet are right here in front of me. I mean, I’ve wanted to travel with you guys since I was nine! It’s finally happening and I should be happy about it…”

“Rhia?” asked Jessie kindly, “Can we make you a promise?” Rhia shook her head yes.

“Okay, from here on out, we want you to travel with us. We want you to become a member of our team, whether we’re with Team Rocket or not,” added James.

“Da name doesn’t matta’, “Meowth began, “We’re a team, and dat comes from da heart! And we promise to make you, Beauty, and da rest of ya Pokemon members part of our squad, and we’ll always have ya back!”

Rhia teared up a little, “Really you guys? I guess I’ll return the promise then; I’ll stick with you guys, and Team Rocket, no matter what.” Everyone smiled, and from that moment, Rhia was now a member of Team Rocket’s inseparable crew.

“Now, what are we gonna do about this predicament we’re in?” asked Jessie concerningly.

James thought for a moment, then said, “Well, we can stay here as long as we’d like. If I had my way, we’d lay low here and relax for a while, at least until we aren’t the most wanted criminals in Alola.”

Meowth commented, “More R&R? Sounds great to me! Now we got ‘tings all figured out.”

“Settling that made me feel a lot better, I think I’ll go do some exploring now!” Rhia spoke, “Beauty, Meowth, do you guys wanna come with me?”

“If dis cutie’s goin’, I’m there,” said Meowth suavely as he put his arm around Beauty.

“Awesome, we’ll be back in a little bit!” said Rhia as her and the feline-Pokemon walked out of the room.

Jessie and James sat by the fireplace in silence for a few moments. Suddenly, James burst out, sounding like he had something important to say.

“Jessie, can I talk to you about something?”

“What utter nonsense could you possibly want to talk about, James?” asked Jessie, spitefully of course.

“Uh…um…,” James stuttered nervously, “Well, there’s something I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time, but I’ve never found the right moment until now.”

“And what could that be?” asked Jessie, sounding slightly less agitated.

James began, “Listen, this might sound crazy, but hear me out. I didn’t want to tell you this until we captured that Pikachu; we’ve tried and failed for years, I began to think it was impossible. Regardless of how, we did it, caught the Pikachu, and the impossible became possible. Me telling you this seems impossible, but now that we’ve conquered our hardest quest yet, I know that anything is possible…”

“I don’t get it,” said Jessie hastily, “Can you get to the point please?”

“I’m sorry,” James replied, trying to hide the discouragement in his voice, “it’s just that… Look Jessie, we’ve been partners in Team Rocket for five years now. I knew from the moment we met that we would make the best team the organization’s ever seen. And I told that to you. But over time, I guess my feelings have… changed for you. Not in a bad way, but uh, maybe in a bad way, but…”

“CAN YOU GET TO THE POINT?!” screamed Jessie, at this point being too impatient to sit still.

James froze, then had a sudden burst of courage. “Jessie, I am completely 100% in love with you,” he began, “The memories we’ve made over the years are priceless. You have been my closest friend and companion for so long, I just couldn’t help becoming attached to you… And now, Jess, I can’t picture a future without you. You’re the perfect girl for me, and that will never change.”

Jessie stared at James blankly as he confessed his love to her. Instantly, James could see a fire fueled by rage burning in Jessie’s eyes. It was menacing and evil, then suddenly, the tension broke. As the self-righteous wall in Jessie’s heart crumbled to bits, tears streamed down her face. Jessie could finally be honest with what her heart was really trying to tell her.

James watched as Jessie began to sob, and he immediately ran towards her and gave her a hug. Jessie rested her head on his shoulder and continued to cry while James consoled her. Once she was able to gather her words, Jessie said in between sobs, “I’m just… just kind of surprised you decided to tell me this after so long… I mean, I never knew that you… cared for me that much. I do trust you… you’re my best friend James… I was only so mean and nasty to keep myself from… caring about you that way… But now that I know… I can be honest… with myself… I love you, James, I really do…” Jessie smiled up at James and stopped crying.

“I love you too, Jessie,” he looked into her sapphire eyes and leaned in towards her for their very first kiss…

“Oh, what’s happenin’ in here?” Jessie and James’ first kiss moment was interrupted by Meowth barging through the entryway. Beauty was right beside him, and Rhia walked in behind them, witnessing what happened as well. Meowth glanced up at Rhia, and the two shared an amused smirk; they knew exactly what Jessie and James were about to do.

“What are you clowns laughing at!?” Jessie yelled angrily, “Nothing was about to happen! You didn’t see anything!”

Meowth sighed and said calmly, “I knew you two’s was perfect for eachudda’ all along, no need to hide it from us. We’re a team, ain’t we? You don’t gotta keep no secrets from ya fellow teammates, dig?” Meowth grinned at Jessie and James, and they smiled embarrassedly back at him. Meowth proceeded to follow Rhia into the kitchen, as she was already preparing pasta for dinner.

Jessie and James looked at each other with endearment, smiled, and clasped their hands together as they walked happily side-by-side to the kitchen as well. With finally confessing their true feelings, Jessie and James felt as free as they had ever been.


	13. Ash's Return

**Chapter 13**

Ash arrived in the Kanto region early the next morning, just one whole day between the day he lost Pikachu and his brand-new quest beginning. He quickly made his way over to his mother’s house and barged through the front door.

“Hey mom!” Ash yelled, “I’m home!” His mom walked out of the kitchen with a big smile on her face.

“I’m so glad to see you, honey,” she said to her son as she pulled him in for a hug, “Sit down and have a beverage, what would you like? Juice? Soda? Coffee? Anything you want!”

“I mean, coffee might work, I could use the energy,” replied Ash.

“Okay, one coffee made with love coming right up for the world’s best Pokemon trainer!” Ash blushed from his mom’s words. She was trying everything to lift her son’s spirits and give him an extra boost of confidence. His mom continued to talk as she made the coffee, “So Ash, did you get in touch with Misty and Brock?”

“Yeah, I did,” Ash responded, “They said they’d meet me here at the house around noon today, and then we can head out…” Ash paused for a moment, then jumped out of the chair he was sitting on, “That reminds me! Mom, I’ll be right back, I gotta talk to Professor Oak!” He ran out of the door even before his mother could put his coffee in a to-go cup.

Ash ran down the road and up to the giant Pokemon laboratory that overlooked Pallet Town. As Ash got to the top of the staircase, he noticed Professor Samuel Oak outside of the front door watering the flowers.

“Professor Oak, I’m glad to see ya!” Ash shouted to the professor, who had his back turned. Professor Oak jumped high into the air, being startled out of his pants.

“Oh! Hey Ash, you snuck up on me there!” Professor Oak exclaimed.

“Sorry,” Ash embarrassingly put his hand behind his head, “I was just coming to talk to you about getting some of my Pokemon back.”

“That’s fine with me,” the professor replied, “I’m sure your Pokemon will be happy to help you on this mission.” Ash and Professor Oak walked into the giant laboratory and sat down on two comfy armchairs in front of a fireplace, with towering bookshelves surrounding them.

“So, what Pokemon were you thinking of taking?” asked Professor Oak inquisitively.

“Well, I need to make sure my team is diverse,” Ash said, remembering what he learned at the Pokemon School, “and I want my strongest Pokemon with me just in case. So, I’m thinking of taking Charizard for sure, and also Torterra and Staraptor. Now, who else…”

“Can I recommend Glalie and Kingler?” asked Professor Oak, “I’ve been doing a lot of studies on ice and water types, and those two have gotten significantly stronger from those tests.”

“That’s a great idea!” yelled Ash, “So, I’ll take Charizard, Torterra, Staraptor, Glalie, and Kingler. And leave one spot on my team empty for Pikachu! Awesome!”

Professor Oak smiled, “I’ll go get them for you right away, but, you have to leave Rowlet and Rockruff here with me. That way I get to research more Pokemon from the Alola region, so everyone wins!” The Pokemon professor entered through two highly-secured metal doors, and returned carrying five Pokeballs. Ash traded his two current Pokeballs for the five that Professor Oak brought, and the professor put the two Pokeballs back in the secured storage area.

“So Ash,” the professor began, “Do you have any idea where Team Rocket Headquarters is located?”

“Nope, not a clue,” Ash responded, “I’m gonna find the three who stole Pikachu and make them take me to headquarters. Trust me, it’ll be pretty easy to find them; me, Misty, and Brock have done this hundreds of times.”

“Three?” Professor Oak asked curiously, “What about the young trainer who helped them? Aren’t you looking for her, too?”

Ash paused for a moment, “I could care less about her. I have no idea if she’s with Team Rocket or not, and just in case she is, I have my strongest Pokemon to help me out. If she’s not… Well… Who knows. The police will probably catch her before we do, she’s famous after all. But she’s no help to us, she’s just trouble.”

“Hmm,” said the professor quietly, “This actually sounds like a smart plan, Ash. Just remember, if you need me, I’m only a phone call away.”

“I’ll remember that, professor,” Ash smiled and shook Professor Oak’s hand. They both said goodbye, then Ash began walking back to his mom’s home with a flame burning inside his heart.

Just as he did earlier that day, Ash barged through the doors of his house. This time, he was faced with his two oldest and closest friends walking out of the kitchen to greet him. Misty and Brock beamed with joy and ran over to Ash.

“It’s about time you showed up,” said Misty jokingly.

“Yeah, we’ve only been waiting here for two hours,” Brock continued the joke and laughed.

“It’s good to see you guys,” said Ash with a smile. The three friends proceeded into the kitchen where his mom was sitting at the dining table.

“Here’s your coffee, Ash,” his mother said as she pointed to a decorative mug topped with whipped cream sitting across from her on the table. Ash sat down in front of his beverage, then Brock and Misty followed suit.

“So Ash, what’s the plan?” inquired Misty.

Ash began, “Well, first we gotta find Team Rocket… That’ll be the hardest part. Do you guys remember anything about Jessie, James, or Meowth? Like, any ideas where they could be hanging out?” The entire group fell silent for a few moments, deep in thought.

“I really can’t think of anything,” said Misty. Brock stayed quiet, then a lightbulb went off in his head.

“Hey, I know!” exclaimed Brock, “Doesn’t James have a really rich family? And don’t they have a bunch of vacation houses scattered around the region?”

Ash beamed, “Brock! You’re right! They’re probably hiding out at one of those estates! Team Rocket loves money, so I wouldn’t doubt that one bit… Now, do you remember where any of them are?”  Brock’s comment must have jogged Misty’s memory.

“I think I know… Remember when James’ family almost kidnapped him and forced him to marry some girl? It was a while ago, but I believe the mansion we were at was close to Saffron City.”

“But what if Team Rocket’s not there?” asked Brock.

“Then we keep looking,” Ash immediately replied, “At least now we have a starting point. We go to Saffron City, find the mansion, and look for Team Rocket there. And if they’re nowhere to be found, well, then we make a new plan.” Misty and Brock looked at each other hesitantly, then agreed with Ash’s plan.

“Saffron City is a few days away by foot, so we should get going soon,” said Brock. The three friends quickly finished their drinks, said their goodbyes to Ash’s mother, and headed out the door. Brock, Misty, and Ash were as determined as they’ve ever been, and they began their unstoppable quest with a long trek towards Saffron City.


	14. A New Beginning

**Chapter 14**

Over the next few days, Team Rocket and Rhia were certainly living it up at the mansion. This particular morning, the in-house butler made them chocolate chip waffles for breakfast, and the friends spent the rest of the day relaxing poolside with all of their Pokemon. Even Jessie’s Mimikyu was having a good time!

Jessie looked over and noticed Mimikyu’s imitation-Pikachu printed cloak sitting on the pool deck, empty. She jumped up out of her lawn chair and ran to the edge of the pool, worrying that Mimikyu somehow drowned, because she couldn’t see it anywhere. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of a familiar purple flash; Mimikyu’s true form. Jessie squinted her eyes over to see where it came from, and saw Rhia happily splashing around with Mimikyu’s true form near the rock waterfall. The sight of this Pokemon’s evil and mysterious true form had absolutely no effect on Rhia. Jessie froze for a moment then ran over to James and Meowth, freaking out over what she just saw.

“Y…You guys,” Jessie began, “Whatever you do, don’t look over there. But Rhia isn’t effected by Mimikyu’s true form… She’s swimming around with it right now, and the cloak is just sitting over there on the ground!”

“What?!? How’s dat possible…?” Meowth cringed, remembering the few times he saw Mimikyu’s true form and almost perished.

James looked stunned from hearing Jessie’s words, then connected the wires in his brain to make sense of the situation. “Rhia grew up in a house right on the edge of a haunted forest, so any abilities from ghost Pokemon probably have no effect on her,” he said suspiciously.

Jessie looked at James blankly, “I mean…that kinda makes sense. That’s probably the only realistic explanation.” Suddenly, Team Rocket’s conversation was interrupted by a loud beeping sound. It was the rocket buzzer, which was their direct communication to the boss. Meowth hopped over to grab it as Jessie and James quickly made themselves look somewhat presentable. The call was answered, and Giovanni appeared on a holographic screen directly above the device.

“I hope you three are enjoying your vacation,” the boss began, “however, I’m going to need you to cut it short and return to headquarters immediately. My newest plan is about to unfold. I finally have an energy source electrifying enough to power a generator manufactured to control the most powerful Pokemon known to human-kind; Arceus. And the energy for the generator will come from that Pikachu you brought me. That’s where you three come in: Pikachu becomes immensely more powerful when he’s angry, so I want you all to be right there beside him. The sight of who he hates the most will be sure to irritate him greatly. So, I expect to see you all here at once.”

Jessie, who hastily wanted the conversation to end, said snobbishly, “Of course, we’ll be there as soon as possible.” She instantly hung up the video call, grabbed the beeper, and threw it violently against the pool deck. The beeper shattered into pieces, a few of which landed in the pool. James, Meowth, Rhia, Wobbuffet, Mimikyu, Mareanie, Beauty, Atlantis, Phoenix, Stoner, and King all gasped at once, shocked at Jessie’s enraged outburst. Then, Jessie proceeded to absolutely flip out.

“I DON’T WANT TO GO BACK TO THAT LOW-LIFE JOB!!” Jessie screamed, slightly scaring everyone around her, “I hate being in Team Rocket! All we’ve done for the past five years of our lives is chase after some stupid twerp and his Pikachu! It’s all a huge waste of time, we’re throwing our lives away for nothing! I don’t wanna go back, I’d rather sit here all day by the pool or go pick grapes in the vineyard… and NOT do ridiculous tasks for the boss!! I want real meaning in my life, maybe find love, or at least find happiness!” Jessie looked around hesitantly, and she noticed James staring directly at her. She immediately remembered that they admitted their feelings for each other just a few days prior, and tears formed in her eyes.

James approached Jessie calmly, “Jess, I think you’ve forgotten that we still have four million dollars that we haven’t spent a dime of. We can do anything we want now…” James looked off into the distance as he grabbed Jessie’s hands. He was right; Jessie, James, Meowth, and even Rhia now had more money than they could ever dream of. He let go of her hands, and the two humans faced Meowth, as Jessie cried tears of joy.

“Are you guys thinking what I’m thinking?” Jessie said encouragingly, with a smile forming on her face.

Meowth grinned, “Only if we ‘tinking da same thing!”

Jessie, James, and Meowth proceeded to yell together loud and proud, “We’re quitting Team Rocket!” The trio began cheering, and all the Pokemon cheered excitedly for them as well. Rhia was the only one who was utterly stunned; how could they just _quit_ Team Rocket? She glanced around at the joy on her friend’s, and the Pokemon’s faces, and became satisfied with their decision. Although they were turning their backs on Giovanni, her friends were happy, and that is what truly mattered to Rhia the most.


	15. Surprises Galore

**Chapter 15**

Ash, Misty and Brock finally arrived to their destination after three long days. In front of them was the biggest manor they had ever seen, overlooking the ocean cliffs. It was impeccable, and the friends were in disbelief that a Team Rocket member could be so wealthy. The thought of this brought back strange memories of James, Jessie, and Meowth’s drama many moons ago. At this point, the heroes were sick of Team Rocket’s antics and trickery; they’ve officially had enough.

“Do you think we should just walk right in?’ asked Brock quietly as they stood facing the large double doors of the estate.

“It’s always better to sneak in the backway,” commented Misty, “maybe it’s unlocked.” Suddenly, Ash heard a vague sound of yelling and cheering coming from behind the mansion. He attempted to bolt towards the ruckus, but Brock swiftly grabbed him by his shirt collar and held him back.

“Ash, wait!” whispered Brock, “If that is Team Rocket back there, we need to hit them with a sneak attack.”

Misty added, “Yeah! We can hide behind those bushes and head around this way,” she pointed to a strategically placed path surrounded by beautifully trimmed hedges, leading to the back of the estate. The heroes ducked down behind the bushes and sneakily crept to the backyard, where the boisterous noise became closer and closer. As they approached the commotion directly, Misty peered her head over the hedge first to check it out. Once she caught a glimpse, she bolted back down behind the bush quickly.

“Take a look at this,” she whispered to Ash and Brock. The three of them slowly peered their heads over the hedge, and Ash was in absolute disgust at what he saw. There was Team Rocket, along with Rhia and all their Pokemon, hanging out by a fancy pool in a fancy mansion. They were smiling, laughing, and gleefully dancing around, looking like they had just won the Pokemon lottery. Meanwhile, because of THEIR stupidity, Pikachu was probably suffering greatly… and those menaces had the audacity to be happy about it.

Brock pulled Ash back down behind the hedge when he saw his friend was becoming enraged. “Oh no, all of their Pokemon are already out of their Pokeballs,” Brock said urgently to his two friends.

“It’ll be harder to attack, but I think we can pull it off,” replied Misty.

“Misty, I need you to take out Rhia’s Groudon first with your water Pokemon,” Ash commented, “He’s definitely our biggest threat. After that, I know we’ve got this battle in the bag.” The three friends shared an encouraging head nod as they prepared to face the villains.

“One, two, three!” Ash, Misty, and Brock yelled all together as they jumped out from behind the hedges. Their sudden appearance spooked King, Rhia’s Groudon, and he began aimlessly shooting off attacks left and right seconds later.

“Let’s go everyone!” Ash yelled at the top of his lungs as he released the most powerful Pokemon in his possession. Brock and Misty followed suit, and Team Rocket was faced with ten well-trained Pokemon out of nowhere. Their celebration was definitely over, and the backyard became the setting of a full-fledged 10-9 Pokemon battle!

“Goldeen, Staryu, Kingdra!” shouted Misty, “Combine your hydro pump and aim directly at Groudon!” The water Pokemon landed in the luxurious pool, and listened to their trainer’s command; shooting a massive, combined blast of water that nearly knocked King off his feet.

“Oh no! King!” Rhia yelled out as she had her legendary Pokemon return to his master ball. Her quick-thinking skills came in handy, and an urgent thought rushed through her mind, “We can’t let those kids hurt our Pokemon! The nearest Pokemon Center is twenty minutes away, and we’re still wanted criminals. We can’t be seen in public, we’ll be caught for sure! No matter what, we can’t let our Pokemon faint…” In the brief moment she was lost in thought, the battle was now in action, and strong attacks were being fired back and forth from both sides.

“What da heck is goin’ on? How’d da twerps find us?!” exclaimed Meowth nervously during the midst of the battle, noticing the action increasing. He paused for a moment, then confidently yelled, “Oh whateva! I’m goin’ out there!” Meowth ran into the battle scene and used a full-powered ice punch attack on Ash’s Staraptor, freezing him instantly. Meowth laughed, “And dat’s how it’s done!” His self-righteous moment was soon interrupted by an iron tail from Brock’s Onix sideswiping him, then flinging him into the pool. Meowth was barely conscious after the impact, yet still noticed Rhia frantically running towards him.

“Meowth!” she yelled, sounding distressed, “Are you okay?”

“I guess I’ll survive dis time,” Meowth replied groggily.

“Promise me no more battling!” Rhia screamed angrily, “I need to get everyone to stop before our Pokemon get hurt, we can’t go to the Pokemon Center. We’ll get recognized for sure!” Before Meowth could respond, Rhia was already sprinting back towards the battlefield. At this point, all of her and Team Rocket’s Pokemon were weakly using their last bit of energy to defend themselves. It was definitely going to be an easy victory for Ash, Misty, and Brock.

“Stop this right now!” Rhia ran out directly in the middle of the dangerous Pokemon battle, and shouted as loud as she possibly could, “We surrender!” All of the Pokemon instantly stopped attacking, momentarily pausing the feud. “We can’t let our Pokemon get hurt, the nearest Pokemon Center is twenty minutes away!” Jessie and James glanced at one another, then had Wobbuffet, Mimikyu, and Mareanie return to their Pokeballs. Rhia also took back her not-so-fab five team before they could be harmed any further.

Right after the surrender, Rhia exploded into a fit of rage that even surprised Team Rocket. She stomped towards Ash, Misty, and Brock, then proceeded to angrily shout at them, “What on earth is wrong with you?! You doofuses almost gave us a heart attack. Cool, you won the battle, now GET OUT OF HERE! Leave us alone and never bother us again! Jessie, James, and Meowth are quitting Team Rocket to live the good life; there, happy? Now you can all go on your merry way and let them live out their dream in peace! This is all they’ve ever wanted and they deserve it.” Brock and Misty were surprised at what they heard, maybe Team Rocket had feelings after all.

“Are you kidding me?” Ash argued back, “You evil creeps stole my best friend right from under my nose!! The last thing ANY of you deserve is happiness, especially _you_ ,” Ash said to Rhia in disgust. She must not have liked the way he was talking to her, because Ash was met with a swift punch square in the nose from his new arch-enemy, Rhia. As Ash fell down holding his head in agony, Rhia suddenly had a great idea.

She walked over to Jessie, James, and Meowth, “Guys, I was thinking that maybe if we give these twerps the full, honest story on everything, they’ll forgive us and promise to leave us alone..”

“You really think dat could work?!” asked Meowth.

“Well, it’s worth a shot,” Rhia added, “I guess I’ll go invite them inside.” She proceeded to strut back over to the twerps, where Ash was still sitting on the ground in searing pain.

“I apologize for hitting you like that,” Rhia said to Ash kindly, “My temper just kind of gets the best of me sometimes. And I’m sorry for being so impolite… Why don’t you guys come inside and have some refreshments? There’s a few things I need to clear up and get off my chest.” Ash stared at Rhia angrily, then stood up.

“Fine, we’ll go,” he said hatefully. Ash, Misty, and Brock shared a suspicious look, then followed into the lavish mansion directly behind their worst enemies.


	16. Change of Heart

**Chapter 16**

Ash, Misty, and Brock, along with Jessie, James, Meowth, and Rhia, all sat down around an extra-long table in the main dining hall of the mansion. The two groups sat on opposite ends of the table, as far away from each other as possible. No one had a smile on their face.

“Sir Sebastian,” James asked the in-house butler, “can you serve us some refreshments, pretty please?” His kind gesture was met with a menacing glare from both Jessie and Meowth. Rhia was the first to address her enemies; she stood up from her chair and walked to the center point of the table.

“I guess I should be honest with you all,” Rhia began, “I have a lot to say. Well, first and foremost, I’m genuinely sorry for causing you guys so much trouble. And Ash, it wasn’t my intention to harm you in any way, really! Look, I was just trying to help my friends… I grew up in the Team Rocket industry because my father was a top-class general, and he worked 24/7. These three arrived one day and were SO close to giving up on their last mission to become agents, I decided to assist them. And they became like the siblings I never had.. Five years ago, I helped them with their hardest challenge, and five years later, I did the same thing. They were trying and trying for so long to catch your Pikachu and had no luck, so I had to step in yet again. Honestly, I was the one who formulated the entire plan to steal Pikachu; Jessie, James, and Meowth just followed along with what I told them to do…” Brock, Misty, and Ash gasped at what Rhia told them; they were shocked to hear that Team Rocket had no affiliation in formulating the plan.

“But, why would you do such a thing?” asked Misty concerningly.

Rhia looked down at the table, then answered quietly, “I’ll always be loyal to where I came from I guess…” she paused for less than a moment, then spoke again, “Which brings me to this. My friends finally have their dream right in front of them, the least you guys could do is let them have it. They’re even planning on quitting Team Rocket. So, I’ll ask you again, can you please leave and let us live in PEACE?” At this point, Rhia sounded like she was pleading with the twerps.

Rhia’s nonchalant attitude about the situation made Ash extremely upset; there was no way he was going to let Team Rocket get away with what they’ve done. He shouted at Rhia, Jessie, James, and Meowth, “No way! We’re not leaving you alone until I get Pikachu safe back with me! You losers are gonna take us to Team Rocket Headquarters PERSONALLY to retrieve my best friend. You don’t have a choice!”

Jessie cackled sarcastically, “Hah! What makes you think we’d ever do something that nice for a _twerp_? You must have lost your minds!” Meowth laughed loudly alongside Jessie and the two high-fived each other.

“Hey!” Brock yelled angrily at Team Rocket, “You goons were the ones who caused this mess in the first place, so now you’ve gotta fix it!”

Meowth replied, “I don’t ‘tink so! We’re quittin’ Team Rocket, dig? Dat was who we was before, we’re different now. The slate is clean and we’re off da hook!”

Misty cried out, “That’s not how it works! You’re gonna help us or else!”

“Or else what?” Rhia said smugly, slightly mocking Misty. By this point, everyone had gotten up from their chairs and faced each other, getting ready for an altercation that might turn physical. The only one not part of the argument, was James.

James proceeded to walk away from the squabble when tensions began to rise. He was disappointed, because this mansion was supposed to be a sanctuary of fun and relaxation; but everyone was fighting instead. Stepping away from the havoc helped James clear his mind to think, “Ugh,” he thought sadly to himself, “I bet Ash feels the same way I did when I had to leave Growlie here with my parents...I was so heartbroken for so long… I couldn’t imagine Growlie being… _stolen_ from me. Wow… we’re really despicable now that I put myself in his shoes,” James hung his head down in shame. Suddenly, a lightbulb went off in his head, and the intelligent thoughts kept pouring in, “We separated two best friends… and it was all for money. How could I not notice before how immoral that was? We HAVE to repay Ash and make up for what we’ve done. I mean, we already have the cash…” James gasped and had a sudden realization, “Oh my goodness! And we’re quitting Team Rocket! Who cares what we do now?! We can help the twerps and foil Giovanni’s newest plan, then we’ll become the baddest rogues of all time! Go out in a blaze of glory, like the flaming Moltres! Yes! This is perfect!” James jumped for joy and skipped happily back towards the table, right before everyone was about to start throwing punches.

James stepped right into the middle of the altercation and screamed as loud as he could, “Stop fighting right now! I have an idea!” Both groups backed up right away. James turned towards Ash, Brock, and Misty, “Look twerp, I’ve decided that we’ll kindly escort you back to headquarters and help retrieve your Pikachu from the boss,” he smiled proudly. Everyone in the room gasped in astonishment.

“Wait, you will…?” Ash asked curiously.

Jessie then yelled meanly, “Of course we won’t!” She stormed up to James and shouted in his face, “Are you out of your mind James? What on earth are you thinking, helping the twerps? You’ve officially lost it!!” James looked at Jessie endearingly and grabbed her hands, which put out the fiery rage in her heart.

“Jess, listen,” James said softly, yet sternly, “This is the only way we can make things right. Otherwise, the police will be after us wherever we go. Our life together has just begun, think about the money we have! Do you want that to all go to waste? Besides, we ARE quitting Team Rocket. Why not go out in a blaze of glory? Our final performance? C’mon Jessie, I promise you everything will be okay. You _have_ to trust me on this.” Jessie looked at James intensely, then shrugged her head in agreement.

“I guess we’re stuck doing this,” she said annoyedly as she approached the twerps. “Okay,” she began, sounding hateful, “I’ll agree to help you dweebs IF and ONLY IF you leave us alone after this and get the police to clear our names.”

“Fine,” Ash yelled back hastily. Then, James turned back towards his friends.

“Meowth, are you in?” James asked encouragingly.

“If dis is da only way we get to keep our dough, I’m in.” Meowth sighed.

“Great!” James responded as he glanced at Rhia, “It’s all up to you, Pokemon Master. Will you help us, too?” he smiled as he waited for the answer from his newest teammate.

Rhia hung her head down and stared at the ground, then simply said, “No.”

Brock yelled out, sounding agitated at her response, “What? Why not?!” Rhia lifted her head up and began another speech.

“I don’t want to ruin Giovanni’s plans,” Rhia said quietly, “You see… He was the one who helped me begin my Pokemon journey in the first place… My dad was one of the best generals the organization’s ever seen, and him and Giovanni were close friends. When my dad didn’t return from his solo mission, Giovanni knew I was really distraught about everything. To cheer me up, he gave me all the basics to begin my Pokemon journey the day I turned 10 years old. A ferry ticket to Hoenn, some money, and also one Pokemon of my choice to begin my journey with. I chose a Skitty, of course… Giovanni was the one who I have to thank for my success, and also for my best friend in the whole world,” Rhia bent down and pet Beauty, “So I can’t sabotage him… I just can’t!” She stood back up to face her friends and apologize, but James was quicker than she was to speak.

“Rhia, I understand you’re scared for the boss’ well-being, but I assure you he will be fine,” James said thoughtfully, “He’s an intelligent, business-savvy man, I know he’ll be able to make a plan ten times better than the one he’s currently concocting. Besides, we’re a team, and teammates stick together no matter what, remember? We’ve gotta do this, and we need your help pulling it off! Just in case we’re in an emergency, we need your extreme Pokemon battling skills to back us up! We can do this together, you just gotta believe in us!”

Rhia listened to James and thought to herself for a moment. She cared more about her closest friends way more than she cared about Giovanni. And she did make them a promise to have their backs in any situation. The trio needed her help once again. Also, James was right, the boss _could_ overcome this small falter very quickly. She listened to the words her heart spoke, and finally changed her mind.

She responded softly to James, “Okay, I’ll go too.”

“Awesome!” James cheered with glee, “So it’s settled. We’ll help you kids on your quest.” James smiled at Ash, Brock, and Misty. Even though the twerps were beyond livid with the villains, James could have sworn they grinned back at him.


	17. Bonding of Friends and Enemies

**Chapter 17**

Considering James was the one pretty much in charge at the mansion, he decided to be a hospitable host. “Hey twerps, would you three like to stay here tonight?” he asked Ash, Misty, and Brock, “There’s plenty of room, and you should probably get a good night’s rest before we head out tomorrow.”

The heroes were surprised that James from Team Rocket was being so oddly kind towards them. However, they accepted his offer and agreed to stay overnight in the estate, secretly excited to spend the night in such a luxurious home. James walked back over to Jessie, Meowth, and Rhia who were sitting on the satin white couch, staring furiously at him.

“Now why in the world would you invite them to stay?” Jessie asked James angrily.

“Jimmy here’s playin’ on da same side as our enemies,” Meowth said with his arms crossed.

James replied sternly, “Excuse me for being sympathetic for once, but don’t you think we’ve caused them more than enough trouble? After what we’ve done, we should _at least_ try to be nice to them.”

“We’re taking them to headquarters, you didn’t say anything about being nice,” Rhia said under her breath.

James shouted, “Hey, don’t have that attitude! You guys do realize we’re gonna have to ALL work together to pull off stealing Pikachu back, right? We’re gonna be doing a bit of traveling with the twerps too, and we can’t argue the whole time! Right now, we have to get along with them. I know it’s hard, but we gotta do it. Okay?”

“Whatever, fine,” Jessie scoffed.

“It really sounds like you three need a lesson in teamwork, and manners too…” James rolled his eyes and walked away from his friends. He thought to himself, “Hmm, a lesson in teamwork… Oh, I know! We can have a field day in the backyard, with all sorts of games and races where we must work together. Yeah! Maybe that’ll help everyone start getting along!”

James yelled out excitedly, “Hey everybody! Come head outside, I have a great idea!” Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, Meowth, and Rhia groaned in annoyance and followed James to the backyard. The heroes and villains were still standing far apart from each other.

“Okay, so I’ve noticed that we’re really not too… um, friendly with one another,” James began, facing the two separate groups, “And that needs to change. I’ve had the butler arrange some activities for us; tug of war, potato sack races, and egg tossing! That way, we can all practice working together, and have some fun too,” James grinned. Ash, Brock, and Misty glanced at each other, then smiled.

Misty commented, “That’s actually a good idea James, maybe it’ll help all of us wind down a little.”

Jessie made a remark as well, “Seriously? First the twerps are invading our personal space, now we’ve gotta play dopey games with them?”

Meowth added, “Dis is a real nightmare.”

James yelled back at his friends, “This is what I’m talking about! Even the twerps want to give it a try, yet you three can’t seem to cooperate!”

“Hey!” Rhia chimed in, “Don’t include me, I didn’t say anything! Actually, I think the games sound like a blast. And we can show these kids who’s boss!” Rhia laughed evilly and turned to Jessie and Meowth.

James responded, “Well, the point of these games is to become comfortable working with our enemies, so unfortunately you won’t be partnered with me, Jessie, Meowth, or Beauty in any of the partner challenges.”

“Well that’s a bummer…” Rhia said quietly.

“So guys, what do you say?” asked James, “We can either work together and have fun doing it, or we can sit around in silence feeling sorry for ourselves. Take your pick.”

Jessie and Meowth sighed, then said in unison, “Whatever, we’ll play.”

“Fantastic!” James shouted excitedly, “Okay, so the first game we’ll play is the potato sack race. Meowth and Beauty are significantly smaller than us, so by default, they’ll be teammates for the partner challenges.” Hearing this, Meowth beamed with excitement and gave Beauty a hug. “As for us humans,” James continued, “our partners will be decided by drawing cards,” He pulled out six cards; two blue, two pink, and two purple. James put one of each color card in his hand, and put the other set back in his pocket. He spread the cards out face down in his hands, and approached the twerps.

“Each of you, pick one card,” James said, and Ash, Misty, and Brock each hesitantly grabbed a card. James moved over towards Jessie and Rhia and had them pick a card from the deck he had in his pocket, leaving the last card for himself. Everyone turned their cards over, then found out who their partner was. Jessie was on the purple team with Misty, Brock was on the pink team with James, and last but not least, Ash and Rhia were stuck being partners on the blue team.

“Yuck!” shouted Ash meanly.

“Double yuck!” Rhia shouted back.

James was quick to intervene, “With that attitude, you guys will lose for sure…”

“We are not losers!” shouted Rhia and Ash in unison, then the two looked at one another in disgust.

“Much better!” said James sarcastically, “You two are even saying things at the same time, that’s what I call teamwork! So now that everyone has their partner, we can begin the race.”

The group proceeded to follow James down to a spacious, grassy meadow in the backyard, overlooking the vineyard. Everyone lined up with their partners and got comfortable standing in the potato sack.

As they were maneuvering around awkwardly, Jessie said to Misty, “You know, out of the twerps I could have been partnered with, I’m glad it was you and not one of the other two.”

Misty smiled softly, “Thanks, I can say the same about you.”

Meanwhile, Brock and James were ready to go, they even created a chant for their team.

“Who said real men can’t wear pink,” said Brock confidently.

“That’s not what we think,” said James.

“The pink team’s gonna win today,” they said together, “with James and Brock; we rock!” The two high-fived and laughed, already possessing great teamwork.

“Sounds a bit fruity to me…” Meowth commented on the pink team’s cheer. Beauty giggled, then rubbed her head against Meowth’s.

“Can you scoot over a little?! Goodness gracious, you’re taking up all the space!” shouted Ash, nudging Rhia to the side.

“If you weren’t so annoying we would have more space!” Rhia yelled back, pushing Ash over completely in the potato sack, causing them both to topple to the ground.

“What was that for?!” Ash screamed as him and Rhia stood back up.

“Me?? You were the one that pushed me first!” Rhia replied, and the two stared at each other angrily. They were soon interrupted by the butler, who was now serving as a referee for the race.

“Is everybody ready?” the referee-butler shouted, “Okay, on the count of three… One, two, three!” Just like that, the potato sack race had begun. Each team was hobbling next to their partner as fast as they could, attempting to claim victory. Within feet from the starting line, Ash lost his balance and sent him and Rhia falling straight to the ground once again. By the time the blue team reclaimed their footing, the other three teams were already approaching the finish line.

It was a close race; Brock and James won first place, followed close behind by Misty and Jessie. Meowth and Beauty got third place, while Ash and Rhia came in dead last.

James exclaimed, “Woohoo! Now onto our next challenge, the egg toss!” The key of this game was to successfully catch and throw an egg back and forth with another person, increasing the distance each time. If the egg breaks, then that team is out. Everyone stood facing their partner and began the competition. Despite their loss in the previous challenge, Ash and Rhia were on top of their game this round. They even ended up coming in first place!

“Good game!” Ash said to Rhia as they claimed their victory.

“Yeah, same to you,” Rhia replied as they shared a half-hearted smile.

“Alright,” James announced, “It seems to me everyone’s enjoying themselves, so let’s start our last game; tug of war! No more partners this time, now we’re gonna have teams! Sir Sebastian here already wrote each one of our names on a slip of paper and put it in this jar, it will be completely random!”

One by one, the butler called out each person or Pokemon’s name and divided them between two teams; red and green. The red team consisted of Ash, Misty, Jessie, and Rhia, and the green team’s members were Brock, James, Meowth, and Beauty. As soon as the teams were formulated, the tug of war challenge began. Each side was pulling as hard as they could, and they kept at this pace for quite a while, going back and forth. Suddenly, the rope snapped directly in the center, sending both sides flying in reverse.

“It looks like…” the butler began, “It looks like everyone wins! This proves that with teamwork and strength, even the toughest rope can be broken.” The two teams looked around at each other, then said their congratulations on a great game. Because they spent the entire afternoon playing outside, everyone was exhausted. They agreed to go back inside and wait for dinner, as the butler was about to begin preparing grilled salmon.

The magnificent grilled salmon dish left everyone speechless. Both the heroes and the villains have had a great day, as well as a wonderful dinner. Rhia looked over at the clock, as she was not the least bit tired.

“It’s still pretty early,” she said to everyone around the dining table, “We should go to the cinema room and watch this scary movie I’ve been hearing about. It’s called ‘Attack of the Red Gyarados’, and people say to never watch it alone!”

“I’ve heard of it,” Brock added, “but how can a movie about a Gyarados be scary?”

“I don’t know genius,” Jessie commented jokingly, “why don’t we watch it and find out?” Everyone laughed, then headed into the foyer and up the gold-plated staircase to the indoor movie theatre. On the front wall, there was a giant 60-inch flat screen television with a modern-looking fireplace beneath it. Instead of movie theatre chairs, a giant, black, leather sectional couch engulfed the room. In one corner of the room, there was a popcorn maker. In the other, was a slushie machine with five different flavor options. Ash, Misty, and Brock’s jaws dropped as they entered the marvelous cinema room. Everybody took a seat on the humongous sofa, still being somewhat divided; James sat directly in the middle, the heroes sat on one side of him, and the villains sat on the other. Rhia started playing the movie, and the group watched the screen and relaxed a bit. They started to get distracted, however, when they noticed the film was very cheesy, boring, and cheap.

“Forget dis,” Meowth yelled suddenly, “I’m hungry again! Let’s make s’mores or somethin’.”

“That’s a great idea, Meowth!” Ash added. Everyone else nodded their heads and smiled as they sat down on the newly-carpeted floor around the fireplace. As James went to gather the graham crackers, marshmallows, and chocolate, Brock began to tell a scary story.

“It was a dark, and stormy night…” he began, and everyone listened intensely. By the time James came back from the kitchen, Brock was reaching the best part of his tale. James decided to creep up behind Jessie and grab her shoulders.

“Raaaaaahh!” James yelled as he scared Jessie out of her wits. She cried an ear-piercing scream, and punched James right in the eye out of reflex.

“James! Don’t ever scare me like that again!” Jessie yelled furiously at him, while he rolled on the ground, holding his head in pain. The others tried to restrain their laughter, but couldn’t help snickering out loud. The remainder of the evening, Ash, Brock, Misty, Jessie, Meowth, James, and Rhia all took turns telling scary stories while enjoying s’mores around the fireplace. Everyone was truly enjoying themselves, because time certainly flew by while they were having fun…

“Oh my goodness, would you look at the time!” shouted Misty. At this point, it was almost midnight. The plan was to get a good night’s sleep and head out early the next morning, who knows if that was going to happen now.

“Right!” Brock agreed, “We really need to go to bed.”

“Of course,” Ash added, “Night, guys! You’d better still be here in the morning!” His comment reflected prior knowledge of Team Rocket’s trickery. As the heroes headed to their chosen guest rooms for the night, the villains stayed up chatting for a bit.

James giggled, “Hm, guess who’s right and guess who’s wrong? Admit it, you guys had fun with the twerps!”

Jessie and Meowth quickly went into super-defensive mode. “We did not!” yelled Jessie.

Meowth continued, “Yeah! We was just puttin’ up wit da twerps! Dey ain’t our friends or nuttin’.”

“Right,” said James sarcastically, with a grin on his face.

Suddenly, Rhia spoke nervously, “You guys… Do you really think we can pull off this crazy plan? I know Giovanni’s strong,” disappointment filled her eyes.

“I know we can,” James responded to her, “Working together as one, we are more powerful than the entire Team Rocket industry combined. But, fifty percent of our strength is coming from you, Rhia. With your help, I know this plan will be a success.” Rhia nodded her head softly, then yawned.

“I’m going to bed,” said Rhia as she doused the fire in the fireplace, “Good night you guys, sleep well.” Jessie, James, and Meowth glanced at each other.

“We should head to sleep too,” Jessie added as her and James stood up and made their way to the master suite.

“Guess it’s just you and me, doll,” Meowth said to Beauty as they walked out the front door to the garden, planning to sleep under the stars.


	18. Journey to Headquarters

**Chapter 18**

The following day arrived sooner than everyone expected. Before bed, they all agreed to wake up at sunrise and leave shortly after, but since they stayed up incredibly late the night before, nobody woke up on time. At around 10am, Meowth and Beauty awoke from their slumber.

“Good morning, sunshine!” Meowth said to Beauty sweetly, “I wonder what time it is,” He glanced at the giant clock hung on a lamppost in the garden. “What? We’re runnin’ late! Maybe da humans left widdout’ us,” Meowth said disappointedly. Him and Beauty sprinted through the doors of the mansion, frantically looking for trainers. Once they realized the humans were just taking advantage of sleeping on ten-thousand dollar beds, the feline Pokemon decided to wake them up. Beauty gently woke up Jessie, James, and Rhia, while Meowth took it upon himself to wake up the twerps in a…different way.

“Wake up and smell da coffee!” Meowth yelled as he tossed buckets of cold ice water onto Brock, Misty, and Ash. They sprung out of each of their luxurious beds immediately.

“What’s the big idea?!” Misty screamed, being drenched from head to toe.

Meowth laughed, “Do you twerps know what time it is? We’re runnin’ late.”

Ash looked at the analog alarm clock on his nightstand, then shouted, “Oh no! We’ve gotta get ready and head outta’ here fast, we can’t waste any time. Meowth! Go tell your buddies they better be walking out the front door in ten minutes!”

“Shutup twerp,” Meowth calmly said as he walked out of the guest bedroom. Both the heroes and the villains quickly packed their most necessary items, and got ready to leave on their journey. The butler prepared strawberry-banana fruit smoothies for on-the-go breakfast, so he handed one to everyone as they walked out the door. Within minutes, they were off the estate property and heading down the first path to their destination.

“So guys, where’s Team Rocket Headquarters anyway?” Brock politely asked Jessie, James, and Meowth.

“Why should we tell you?” Jessie said sarcastically.

Meowth added, “Yeah, find it all by your twerpy selves.”

James quickly intervened, “They’re just joking. Headquarters is located on the south face of Mt. Moon, and it’ll take the rest of today to get there, so we’re gonna have to set up camp tonight.”

“Mt. Moon, huh?” Ash grinned proudly, “That’s not too far away! Let’s keep going!” Ash announced as he happily began marching in front of the rest of the group. Suddenly, everyone heard the sound of trees crashing down one-by-one off in the distance. Moments later, a giant, pink, bear-like Pokemon jumped out directly in front of them. Team Rocket went absolutely haywire and shrieked loudly.

“OH NO!” Meowth shouted, trembling in fear.

“H…How d..di..did Bewear find us here in Kanto?!” Jessie stammered, looking noticeably scared. James was frozen in fear, far too spooked to speak. Rhia looked at her friends confusedly, and noticed her left-hand companion, Beauty, was ready to attack.

“Meowth,” Rhia whispered out of the corner of her mouth, “Why don’t you attack it? Use psybeam, trust me.” Meowth stumbled back, then noticed his kitty crush in full-fledged battle mode. He wanted to impress her, so Meowth zipped right up in front of Bewear. He launched a high powered psybeam attack directly at the giant Pokemon, and Bewear went blasting off across the sky, very similar to how Team Rocket has done hundreds of times previously. Meowth looked off into the distance, too shocked to move. Jessie and James instantly began cheering, and lifted Meowth high up in the air, showing just how proud they were of him.

Ash, Misty, Brock, and Rhia glanced at each other in confusion. “Uhh,” asked Ash, “What just happened?” This question was directed towards Rhia, and she just shrugged her shoulders. Meanwhile, Team Rocket was celebrating another little victory close behind them. As they walked through the plains and the forest, the two groups joked around with each other about old encounters and crazy times that they had to work together in the past. James was sure to keep Jessie’s temper under control when the twerps poked fun at her, but she was quick to return the favor. As the sunset creeped upon the horizon, both the heroes and the villains knew it was time they set up camp for the night. Brock began cooking one of his famous dishes, and the others began laying out their sleeping bags. The so-called enemies had dinner around the fire, very similar to the night they had before. Everyone was in the midst of a somewhat carefree conversation, until it unexpectedly became quite serious.

“Hey guys, you do realize we haven’t come up with a plan for once we get to headquarters, right?” Rhia said concerningly. The rest of the group fell silent and stared into the fire. She added, “After all, the only way I was able to kidnap Pikachu is with a clear and concise plan!” Rhia smirked confidently, and did a sassy hair flip. This immediately struck a wrong cord with Ash.

“Hey! Quit rubbing it in, will you?!” Ash jumped up and shouted in Rhia’s face, “If it wasn’t for you and your stupid friends stealing Pikachu in the first place, we wouldn’t be here right now!”

“Chill out twerp!” Jessie screamed, making sure her voice was heard in the argument, “You’re _extremely_ lucky that we’re taking you to headquarters in the first place, so don’t push it!”

“And don’t eva call us stupid again!” Meowth added, “You three are da real morons!” Misty and Brock soon stepped in, and both sides were in an inconsolable argument yet again. James was not involved, however. He just paused and listened to the fighting, realizing that he was the only one sensible enough to put an end to their hateful comments.

“Stop arguing right now!” James shouted loudly, making everyone pause to look at him, “I think we can all agree it should be an early night. Then, _maybe_ you all will wake up on the right side of bed in the morning.” He looked directly at the ground.

“Fine,” Ash said snobbishly as he picked up his sleeping bag and moved it as far away from Team Rocket as possible. Brock and Misty followed suit, then Jessie, Meowth, and Rhia moved their sleeping bags in the opposite direction from the twerps. The heroes and the villains were divided once again. Everyone quickly lied down, and didn’t make a sound.

“We’ll think of a plan tomorrow,” James said quietly as he put out the campfire. He got comfortable in his sleeping bag and stayed awake thinking to himself. His mind was cluttered with thoughts of defeat, because he was trying to keep everyone civil with one another and wasn’t succeeding. His friends and the twerps were back to fighting… All he could do is cross his fingers and hope that they could come to a consensus in the morning.


	19. Family Comes First

**Chapter 19**

That night, nobody had a good night’s sleep. Everybody stayed up tossing and turning, their minds filled with the possibilities of things going awry. The heroes imagined Team Rocket betraying them and staying loyal to Giovanni, and the villains imagined the twerps snitching them out to both the Kanto police as well as the boss. Rhia, however, had a whole lot more running through her mind. The past week has been more eventful than the past year for her, resulting in her disappointing a ton of her fans in the Alola region. She imagined being stuck fulfilling Team Rocket missions with Jessie, James, and Meowth, and recalled why Giovanni helped her in the first place. He _knew_ she was too good-hearted for Team Rocket villainy; if only he knew the real reason he had Pikachu was because of her. Rhia stayed awake in her sleeping bag until sunrise, then proceeded to get up and change out of her pajamas into clothes for the day. Feeling oddly refreshed, she gently woke up Ash and his friends, along with Jessie, James, and Meowth. Groggily, they all got up, and Rhia packed instant coffee to make for everyone. While sipping on hot espresso, everyone sat around in silence, until it was soon interrupted by James.

“So, everybody,” James announced, “we’re gonna be arriving at headquarters soon. We need to come up with a plan.” Everyone immediately remembered their fight from the previous evening, as well as their preconceived fears about trusting the other side. James noticed the nervous expressions on everybody’s face, then had another great idea. In order to enforce the teamwork aspect, he made the heroes and villains sit in a circle between one another peacefully around the fire. Nobody was thrilled about sitting next to their enemy, but they put up with it anyways. Again, they sat in silence, until Misty spoke up.

“Does anyone have any ideas?” she asked calmly.

“Well,” Jessie began, “we’ll most likely be the first ones to come across Pikachu. The boss assigned Pikachu-harassing as our newest duty,” there was a hint of spite in her voice. She continued, “Giovanni’s planning to use Pikachu in his new plan to control the mind of the god-like Pokemon, Arceus.” Brock and Misty gasped, and Ash gritted his teeth in anger.

“You’ve gotta stop it before it happens!” Ash yelled to Team Rocket. “That’s the only way this will work… if Pikachu’s hurt, the deal’s off and you're all going to jail!”

“No need to worry, twerp,” James said nicely, “We’ll make sure your Pikachu is safe and sound; that’ll be our first step. Me, Jessie, and Meowth will take care of that part, you can count on us,” James grinned proudly at Ash.

“…Wow, thanks James,” Ash said softly.

James continued, “However… stealing him back discreetly might become a problem…” Everyone sighed in disappointment and tried to think of more ideas. James’ lightbulb kept on blinking, because he jumped high in to the air and giggled with glee.

“Ooooooohooohooo!” he squealed, “Wait just a second!” James ran over to his backpack and pulled out a uniform that the low-level Team Rocket grunts typically wore.

“You three twerps can wear these and sneak into headquarters!” James smiled as he presented the uniform to everybody, “So you see, once we have Pikachu, you can escape with him secretly and the boss won’t notice a thing. If WE were trying to make a run for it, he would,” James said nervously.

“Great thinking James!” Brock said, “Disguises always work!”

“But dat’s da problem,” said Meowth worriedly, “How are we gonna distract da boss long enough to pull dis snatch-and-grab off?” Everyone stared back into the fire, deep in thought, wondering who was not yet assigned a job in this mission… Simultaneously, everyone turned and looked at Rhia. Meowth joyfully hopped off the hallow log he was sitting on, and ran up to her.

“Rhia, you’re gonna have da most important part in dis plan. You’re gonna be da one ta distract da boss!” he yelled cheerfully, “Considerin’ your pops was buddies wit da dude, you two are like family. You can keep ‘em talkin’ while we pull off da escape plan! So whaddya’ say?”

The young and beautiful trainer looked down at the ground sadly, and said “No.”

Meowth gasped, “But… why not?”

Rhia’s expression turned serious, “You all said my job would be using my Pokemon battling skills if necessary, not pointlessly distracting the boss.”

“We need to make this capture as quick and smooth as possible, let’s try to avoid Pokemon battling if we can,” Brock commented. Everyone else agreed, yet Rhia scoffed.

“WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO SCREW EVERYTHING UP?!” Ash shouted at the top of his lungs to Rhia, “YOU were the one who stole Pikachu, YOU didn’t want to help us, and YOU keep having _issues_ with fixing the harm that you caused! Are you out of your mind?! You are an _evil, devious_ so-called ‘Pokemon Master’, and you’ll get what you deserve!”

This outburst from Ash was the straw that broke the Camerupt’s back, and Rhia genuinely had her feelings hurt. She began to cry, and Jessie took notice immediately. Even James observed that ever since they were reunited with Rhia, Jessie has been more compassionate; sort of like a motherly figure around their youngest teammate. Ash saw the breathtaking trainer cry, and secretly regretted his angry outburst.

“Uh-oh,” Jessie whispered quietly to herself as she stood up and approached Rhia. She announced to everyone, “Wait just a minute, we need to have a bit of girl talk.” Rhia nodded her head and looked at Jessie with tears in her eyes. The two young women walked together through some palm trees and found a private area to chat.

Jessie began, “You know, thank you for agreeing to help with this stupid mission, I really don’t want to help the twerps either…But James feels obligated, and sometimes you have to make sacrifices for those you care about,” Jessie smiled softly, “Listen, I know the boss helped you begin your Pokemon journey and everything, but he really isn’t all that great of a guy…” Jessie proceeded to tell Rhia how disrespectfully he has treated the trio all these years, as well as the horrific things he’s done to successfully steal Pokemon. Instantly, Rhia’s perception of Giovanni changed entirely. Sure, she was one of the only people he’s ever actually helped, but that doesn’t change the fact he was _still_ a despicable individual.

“Oh my goodness…” Rhia was nearly speechless, “I.. I had no idea…” Tears began to form in her eyes, and Jessie gave her a sisterly hug. Rhia spoke softly, “I’m sorry for being so stubborn… I promise I’ll help make things right.” The two girls walked back out to the group, where they were all patiently waiting for them to return. Rhia wasted no time feeling sorry for herself…

“I’ve decided I’ll help in any way I’m needed,” Rhia said pridefully to the group. Immediately, everyone’s expression changed from nervous to pleasantly surprised.

“Really? You will?” asked James curiously.

“Yes, now let’s get going,” Rhia said hastily, “I just want to get this done and over with.”

With adrenaline surging through their bones, the group packed up the campsite and headed on a fairly short trek through the rest of the forest. They approached Mt. Moon before high noon, so they stopped a little in advance to get prepared. The heroes and the villains did some last-minute plan formulating, and Ash, Misty, and Brock changed into their Team Rocket disguises, acting as grunts. As Mt. Moon became closer within their view, they noticed a giant, multi-story steel corporate building built directly into the face of the mountain, displaying a giant red ‘R’ dead in the center… They had finally reached headquarters, and it was crunch time.


	20. Working Together

**Chapter 20**

        “We’re gonna need a way to communicate with each other once we’re in the building,” Rhia said seriously as she reached in her purse and pulled out three small walkie-talkies. She handed one to Meowth, one to Ash, and kept the last one for herself.

        “I guess we shouldn’t waste any time,” Jessie said quietly.

        “Right,” James agreed, “Let’s get going.”

        “Twerps, wait here until I tell ya to come down,” Meowth said to Ash, Misty, and Brock. The three friends sternly nodded their heads in agreement, and waited behind the bushes for Team Rocket to give them the signal to follow them in. During this alone time with her ‘enemies’, Rhia decided to reassure them of her sincerity.

        “Again, I’m sorry for causing all this unnecessary trouble for you three,” the villain said, appearing honest in her apology.

        Misty smiled kindly, “It’s alright now, only because you’re helping to make things right.”

        Ash said hatefully under his breath, “That’s not true, I’ll never forgive you, you witch…”

        “C’mon Ash, don’t be that way!” Brock yelled at his friend, but he was soon interrupted.

        “No, it’s fine,” Rhia spoke abruptly, “I understand why you don’t forgive me,” she looked over and pet her Delcatty, Beauty, “If someone _stole_ my first and most precious Pokemon, I don’t know what I would do… I sure would never forget what happened. In turn, the only way I would _forgive_ them, is if they did everything in their power to make things right…”

        This inspirational bit from Rhia played with Ash’s heartstrings, and he immediately felt sorry for treating her so badly. Just before Ash was about to apologize, a familiar, rash voice spoke from the walkie-talkie.

        “Twerps!” It was Meowth, “Come down here as fast as ya can and take da air vent system up to da top floor. There’s a map of da whole place dead in da center of da first floor by da front desk. Hurry up!” The voice hung up immediately. Ash, Brock, and Misty shared a determined look and stood up, heading down to one of the side entrances of the huge, corporate building.

        Ash turned his shoulder and looked back at Rhia, deep in her eyes, “You know, I’m counting on you for this plan to work. And also, I guess I forgive you now… But I sure won’t forget it,” he gave her an encouraging thumbs-up as he headed down the cliff behind Misty and Brock. Rhia smiled to herself as the twerps proceeded to enter Team Rocket Headquarters confidently.


	21. Giovanni's Plan

**Chapter 21**

“Alright,” Meowth said with a smirk on his face, “Da twerps are on their way in.” Team Rocket was by themselves in an elevator, heading towards Giovanni’s office on the top floor. They saw it as the perfect opportunity to get some quiet time to privately phone the twerps and tell them to proceed with their portion of the plan. Jessie, James, and Meowth politely greeted the receptionist as they exited the elevator, and walked quickly into Giovanni’s huge private section of the penthouse floor. Giovanni turned in his chair to greet his ‘best agents’.

“Perfect timing, you three…” the boss said menacingly to the trio, “now we can proceed with taking over the world,” he grinned evilly. Giovanni directed Jessie, James, and Meowth to a room labeled ‘Top Secret’; which only had one entrance, and that was through the boss’ office. The trio looked inside this room, and they were stunned. The generator room was filled with a vast assortment of gadgets and machinery. In one corner of the room, there was a large generator with an empty power gauge directly in the center. The generator was attached to a bed surrounded by an indestructible glass enclosure, with Pikachu hooked up inside. Giovanni and his three most important agents approached Pikachu.

“This Pokemon is impeccably more powerful when he’s angry,” Giovanni mentioned, “and your job is to upset him and get that power gauge moving.” From hearing the chatter beside him, Pikachu instantly woke up and glanced around. The first thing within his view was Jessie, James, and Meowth; the three villains he hated the most. Pikachu began shooting off livid, electric attacks, and his energy was drained from the hand, foot, and ear cuffs he was wearing. This caused the power gauge on the generator to slowly inch upward. The boss laughed a hearty laugh, “Hah! At this rate, we should have enough power in no time!” Giovanni turned on his heel and left the generator room, back into his office.

Meowth quickly gave Rhia the OK over walkie-talkie to enter headquarters as well, “Ight Pokemon Masta’, it’s your time to shine.”

“Hmm,” Rhia thought to herself as her and Beauty confidently walked down the hill to the entrance of the corporate building, “I’ll just tell Giovanni that I’m back after all this time to show him the success he helped me achieve! He’ll notice that the seed he planted turned into a flowing field of roses,” she smirked evilly as she perfected the details of her lie.

Ash, Misty, and Brock, disguised as grunts, of course, made their way to the large front desk on the first floor of Team Rocket HQ. They looked directly above them and saw a huge map of the entire building, then they quickly located where Giovanni’s office was.

“Hey, look over there,” Misty pointed to a larger-sized air vent near the floor, slightly hidden from the view of the public. The heroes tiptoed over to that corner, and swiftly climbed into the air ventilation system. They remembered the directions to where Jessie, James, and Meowth were, and went on their way through the steel maze.


	22. Pikachu's Grudge

**Chapter 22**

        “Pikachu!” Meowth shouted desperately, “Ya gotta calm down! We’re tryin’ to help ya escape!” The electric-mouse glanced at his enemy in disbelief, then continued shooting off super-charged blasts of power; the gauge on the generator slowly increased with every attack. These goofs had attempted to catch him, lie to him hundreds of times, what could convince Pikachu that they’re not doing it again? James panicked, that meter would be filled up in no time at this rate…

        James swiftly walked up next to Pikachu, “Take a good look at that generator right in front of you,” he began, “every time you use pika-power, the power gauge goes up, fueling energy for the boss’ selfish plot!” Pikachu looked at the generator for a moment, then looked away, and began charging super-blasts of electricity once again.

        “Please stop, Pikachu!!!” Meowth screamed, because the power gauge at this point was already halfway full. As he began pleading to his enemy, Jessie snatched the walkie-talkie from Meowth’s paw.

        “Ugh, I’ll handle this!” the red-head yelled hastily, “The twerps are on their way, I’ll prove it.” She immediately phoned Ash on the other line, “Hi, yes twerp? You need to talk to your Pikachu, right now.” Ash cheered loudly on the other line, and Jessie also heard Misty and Brock vaguely shushing him, trying to keep him quiet in the echo-y air vent system. “He’s right here, tell your Pokemon to relax,” Jessie said somewhat quietly. Pikachu proceeded to stop attacking at the sound of his trainer’s voice.

        “Pikachu, are you there buddy?” Ash said to his best friend through Team Rocket’s communication line.

        “Pika pika!!!” Pikachu yelled with glee.

        “I’m so glad you’re okay!” Ash responded, sounding choked up, “Be good for Team Rocket, okay? I’m on my way to get ya. I’ll see you soon Pikachu, I promise!” Ash hung up the walkie-talkie line so he wouldn’t cause any more noise. Pikachu looked at Jessie, James, and Meowth confusedly after hearing his friend’s words.

        “Hah!” Jessie scoffed, slightly mocking Pikachu, “And you didn’t believe us. Silly little mouse,” Pikachu squinted his eyes and glared at Jessie angrily, then turned around facing his back to Team Rocket. Pikachu began to patiently wait for Ash, ignoring Team Rocket completely, while also staying calm. Pikachu knew Ash was on his way, and believed in his soul that his best friend would save him.

       

        Meanwhile, Rhia was heading up to Giovanni’s office on the fifth floor. She was able to bypass front-door security with her old Rocket ID from when she was staying on base as a child. However, when she got to the top floor, she was met by a middle-aged, prude-looking receptionist.

        “Do you have an appointment?” the receptionist nasally asked Rhia with significant attitude in her tone of voice.

        “Nope,” Rhia answered proudly, “But once the boss knows I’m here, he’ll drop everything to talk to me,” the drama-queen ended her confident statement with a hair flip.

        “Sorry, but the boss is just a bit too busy to talk to children,” the unattractive secretary replied rudely. This angered Rhia to the core. In no way, shape, or form, was she a child.

        “Hah, I’m no kid,” she yelled back, “Take this!” Rhia flashed an offensive hand gesture to the receptionist, then sprinted past the front desk right up to Giovanni’s office doors. She knocked in a clever pattern, and hastily waited for a response from inside.

        “Ugh, come in!” It was Giovanni shouting from behind the door, and he sounded quite annoyed. Rhia swiftly entered the room, closed the door behind her, and waved nervously at Giovanni.

        “Who are you and what do you want? I’m in the middle of a very important project, I don’t need any unnecessary interruptions!” Giovanni shouted irritatedly.

        “Uhh, hi,” Rhia stuttered, “You might not believe this, but I’m Rhia.. Sergeant R’s daughter, don’t you remember?” Giovanni stared at the young trainer for a few moments, then he instantly recognized who was standing in front of him…


	23. Close Calls

**Chapter 23**

        Ash, Misty, and Brock were moving very swiftly through the air vent maze, twisting and turning all the way up to the top floor. Suddenly, they heard some familiar chatter vaguely echoing in the distance.

        “Look! An opening!” Ash whispered as he pointed down to a large, perforated gateway. The friends proceeded to look down into the room below, and Ash was overwhelmingly relieved at what he saw; there was Pikachu, hooked up to some contraption, yet still alive and unharmed. Team Rocket was standing peacefully, chatting amongst themselves.

        “Hey! Team Rocket!” Misty said somewhat quietly through the vent opening in the floor, “It’s us! We’re up here!” Jessie, James, and Meowth glanced around puzzledly.

        “Did you guys hear something?” Jessie asked calmly.

        “Sounded like voices,” James replied, “I’m glad they weren’t just the voices in my head.” Meowth noticed three familiar figures waving down towards them from inside the ventilation system.

        “Look! Twerps!” Meowth pointed upwards grabbing Jessie and James’ attention. Team Rocket ran directly under the air vent and welcomingly stretched their arms out.

        “Jump down!” James whisper-yelled proudly, “We’ll catch you!” Ash, Brock, and Misty looked at each other with concern, then one-by-one jumped out of the vent opening directly onto Team Rocket, practically crushing them.

        “….Ouch,” James said weakly as he pulled himself up from the collision.

        “At least you tried,” Misty added encouragingly. Team Rocket exhaustedly stood back up, attempting to recover from the fall. Suddenly, the door to the generator room slammed open; it was the boss.

        “What’s going on in here?” Giovanni shouted sternly, “What’s all the ruckus? And why are there three wimpy grunts here in the most top-secret room in the building?!” Team Rocket, as well as Ash, Misty, and Brock, all froze in place, paralyzed with fear. James knew he had to think of something quick-witted.

        “Oh! These three?” James began with a fake smile, “Well, they’re the top agents in their class! I wanted them to have a little taste of what they could be doing in the future, being part of this fabulous industry!” The others smiled nervously, making James’ lie slightly more believable.

        “Whatever,” Giovanni scoffed, “I don’t really care. Just keep the unnecessary noise to a minimum! I’m in the middle of talking to a very important guest,” the boss walked out of the doorway of the generator room back into his enormous, private office. Once the door was shut, every ‘Team Rocket Member’ shared an encouraging grin.

        “Pikachu!” Ash yelled quietly as he ran over to the glass enclosure his best friend was strapped in to, “I’m here! Everything is gonna be okay!” Ash began to cry; he was at last reunited with his closest companion.

        “Pika, pi, pikachu!” the electric-mouse Pokemon cheered with glee, because he finally felt safe once again. He was unharmed and filled with spirit, which was a blessing for Ash and his friends. At the sight of this emotional moment, even Jessie, James, and Meowth shed a few tears of joy.

     

       “I’m sorry those ridiculous employees of mine interrupted our conversation,” Giovanni said politely as he strolled back into his office, facing Rhia. She was sitting on the opposite side of the large desk, in a fancy chair specifically for the boss’ most important guests. He continued, “I guess they’re just overexcited about my newest and greatest plan,” the boss smirked.

        Rhia smiled, “Oh that sounds exciting! What are you trying to do?” the young trainer asked inquisitively.

        Giovanni quickly changed the subject, “Erm, are you thirsty? Let me go get us some drinks, I have a personal coffee shop on my floor,” the boss hastily jetted out of the room, avoiding the question from his old family friend.

        As he left the room, a thousand thoughts went rushing through Rhia’s mind, “Uh oh, what if Giovanni goes nuts and hurts Jessie, James, and Meowth once they quit Team Rocket!? Or worse, he’ll definitely notice that it was _them_ who made his plan fail…This is bad. Their Pokemon won’t stand a chance against any of Giovanni’s battling partners! Oh no… my friends are in big trouble.” Rhia knew she had to act fast, as Giovanni was going to be returning any moment. The brave Pokemon master sprinted towards the door labeled ‘Top Secret’, and barged straight through.

        Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, and Meowth simultaneously panicked; as they thought the head honcho of the operation walked right in on them trying to ‘steal back’ the prize. The group looked at the door of the generator room, stricken by fear, then became slightly relieved it was Rhia and not Giovanni.

        “What on earth are you doing in here?!” Jessie urgently shouted at Rhia.

        “You’re gonna blow all of our covers and ruin the whole plan!” James bellowed.

        Meowth agreed, “Yeah! Rhia, get outta’ here before da boss spots ya!” Rhia quickly grabbed one of the Pokeballs from the strap on her belt. It was a master ball, and everyone gasped, immediately knowing who was inside.

        Rhia handed the legendary Pokemon’s master ball to the trio, “Here, take King just in case. He’ll listen to whatever you tell him to do. If you’re in an emergency, don’t hesitate! Use him _right away._ ” Rhia looked sincerely at the group, including Pikachu in the glass enclosure, “Good luck, everyone,” she said, and the young girl sprinted out of the generator room just as quickly as she came in. Everybody was taken by surprise by Rhia’s sudden entrance and departure, however, they quickly went back to business… Trying whatever they could to set Pikachu free.


	24. The Malicious Offer

**Chapter 24**

Rhia scurried back to her seat at Giovanni’s desk with less than a moment to spare before he returned. The boss walked carefully through the doorway, carrying a fancy coffee drink in each hand.

“I hope you’re a fan of iced mocha espressos,” Giovanni said to Rhia as he handed her the glass.

“Thank you,” she said sincerely, noticing that the boss still treated her like family.

“So, long time no see,” Giovanni began, “What brings you back here to visit?”

Rhia paused for a moment, then replied, “I just wanted to show you all I’ve achieved from what you gave me to start out with. I’m not sure if you know this, but I’m the new Pokemon champion of the Hoenn region!”

“I had no idea,” the boss said calmly, “Congratulations, young lady! I knew you have always been destined for greatness. Do you mind showing me what kind of Pokemon helped you become so successful?”

“Don’t mind if I do,” Rhia said with a smile, realizing that this demonstration will stall the boss for a decent chunk of time. She released and introduced her current team; the decoy Alakazam named Magic, Phoenix, Stoner, and Atlantis. “Last but not least,” Rhia exclaimed as Beauty strutted in front of her, “The Pokemon you gave me to begin my journey. She’s grown into a great right-hand companion.”

“Incredible,” Giovanni commented, “It looks like you’re quite the worthwhile trainer. Now, do you mind if I see each Pokemon’s most powerful move?”

“I’d be more than happy to show you,” Rhia grinned sneakily, “Stoner, show Giovanni your rock blast! Now Magic, use doom desire on the rocks! And Phoenix, use overheat! Atlantis, cause a reaction with waterfall! And finally, Beauty, freeze it all in place!” Rhia had her team of Pokemon display all their attacks together to create a breathtaking performance. Above Giovanni’s head were hundreds of small, sparkling diamonds. Moments later, the jewels fell gently around him like a blanket of snow. Giovanni stared at the Pokemon, and their trainer, in complete awe.

“That was the best demonstration I’ve ever seen,” Giovanni said kindly, “I’ve never witnessed an individual with that level of skill and finesse!” Rhia’s Pokemon took a bow, and did a rehearsed happy dance to stall the boss even further. He clearly didn’t notice the cheerful jig, because he was staring off into the distance, and an odd look crept on his face.

“I have another question, Rhia,” Giovanni asked quietly, “Please be honest with me… Have you ever committed any sort of criminal or illegal act?” Rhia froze in place as she recalled the entire Pikachu-kidnapping scenario. Obviously, she would never tell the boss the truth.

Rhia stuttered, “Uh, well, I guess so? I’ve stolen a few things from shopping malls here and there, but never anything too crazy.” Giovanni listened, then paused while deep in thought.

“Hm,” he mumbled a few moments later, “Well then, I’ll now be honest with you. Never in my life have I seen a trainer so incredibly powerful at such a young age, your father would be most proud of you.” This tugged on Rhia’s heartstrings and made her stomach drop, as she missed her father dearly. Giovanni continued, “However, the last time I saw you, you were simply a child, imprinting your first important steps on this world. Now, you are much older and wiser… So I think it is time you focus your one-of-a-kind talents to, a _new_ purpose.” The boss smirked.

“What kind of new purpose?” Rhia asked curiously.

Giovanni stood proudly and said, “I want you to join Team Rocket, and work alongside me as my right-hand-woman. With my resources and your skill, we will be an unstoppable force to be reckoned with. You and I together, will take control of the universe!” Rhia’s jaw dropped; she was in absolute shock at the boss’ request. He continued on and on about the perks of being vice president of the Team Rocket corporation, and Rhia listened in silence. This was most definitely not part of the plan.


	25. A Shocking Finale

**Chapter 25**

        Meanwhile in the generator room, Ash, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, and Meowth were trying their hardest to release Pikachu from the indestructible enclosure. They attempted to break the glass countless times. It became difficult to do so considering they had to keep quiet, so Giovanni wouldn’t hear them and become suspicious. After failing to shatter the glass cover surrounding Pikachu one last time, Jessie and Meowth gave up, and began searching for another solution. The two villains slowly walked around, examining the generator room’s complex machinery for important clues. Meowth strolled past a large, square, metal plate that looked slightly out of place, considering it was located on the side of the power generator. He put one paw on it, and the metal plate wobbled around, indicating that it was moveable. Meowth lifted up the metal cover and revealed a giant panel of nearly one hundred different buttons. They ranged from purple, to yellow, to green, each serving a different purpose.

        “You guys…” Meowth stuttered as he called the attention of the others, “You guys gotta see dis; it’s a big button bonanza!” The group looked clueless at the assortment of flashing buttons on the panel, not knowing in the slightest which one to push to potentially release Pikachu.

        “Hey look, that one’s different than the others,” Misty pointed to a button in the center of the panel. It was larger than the rest, and the only red button on the control board. It also possessed the infamous capital ‘R’, this time in black lettering. “Should we push it?” Misty asked cautiously. The humans contemplated the possible outcomes, but their thoughtful moment was immediately cut short.

        “Oh, what da heck,” Meowth courageously said as he thrusted his paw straight down, pushing the red ‘R’ button, “Someone’s gotta do it!” The humans gasped in shock at the talking Pokemon’s impulsive action, unaware of the level of havoc it would cause.

       

       “The money is just one of the many perks,” Giovanni said confidently, “The best part is the power, the invincibility! I promise you, if you join this industry, you will not once regret your decision.” The boss was finishing up his speech regarding why Rhia should join Team Rocket, “So Rhia, what do you say? Will you join me in becoming rich and powerful beyond your wildest dreams?”

        Surprisingly, Rhia paused to genuinely consider Giovanni’s generous offer. She thought to herself, “Wow, so if I join Team Rocket… I can become even more rich? And even more influential? Maybe Giovanni really _does_ need my help to succeed… Oh my, Team Rocket is just calling my name! I mean, I _am_ finally home, back where I belong… This is all I’ve ever known besides Pokemon training. With working alongside Giovanni, I can do both. Alright, I’ve decided…” Just as Rhia was about to open her mouth and give the boss an answer, a loud, ear-piercing alarm started blaring.

       

        “Meowth!” Jessie yelled urgently after Meowth impulsively pushed the button, “Are you crazy?”

        “Dat’s a stupid question,” Meowth smirked. The group turned around and faced the generator, along with the contraption containing Pikachu, waiting to see if anything would happen. Suddenly, the generator shut down and the power light on top of it went off. Then, the glass above the enclosure folded down, and a breath of fresh air hit Pikachu. Simultaneously, the shock-absorbing hand, foot, and ear cuffs let him loose as well; Pikachu was finally freed.

        “Pika pi!!!” Pikachu cried gleefully as he leaped into Ash’s arms.

        “Pikachu!!! I’ve got you back! Finally,” Ash cheered happily as he began to cry tears of joy; at last, the closest companions on the planet were reunited. Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, and Meowth gazed at the two buddies with smiles on their faces and tears in their eyes; the sight of Ash and Pikachu’s true bond made everyone emotional.

        Unfortunately, their gleeful moment was interrupted. A shrieking alarm nearly blew out their eardrums, and red, emergency lights began flashing all around them. The power gauge on the generator was now flashing at about halfway full as well.

        “What, what’s going on?” Misty stuttered.

        “Uh oh…” Meowth said as he recalled his knowledge on this type of machinery.

        “What ‘uh-oh’?!” Jessie and James questioned desperately.

        Meowth picked his head up and his voice grew frantic, “Dis alarm’s an emergency signal. Da generator’s not supposed’ta be turned off until da power gauge is full, and it’s stopped at half… Dis is tellin’ da boss dat somethin’ went wrong… And someone’s gonna hafta’ pay for da mistake!”

        “WHAT?!” Everyone shouted all together as they began to panic. There was no way out of the mechanical room, besides the air vent and the single door leading into the boss’ office. Both the heroes and the villains were completely trapped.

      

        “What in the world is that?” Rhia screamed as she covered her ears from the blaring alarm.

        “It’s the alarm sounding from the generator room!” Giovanni exploded with anger, “Those three screwed up big time…Come on Rhia, let’s go see what’s going on; follow me and be prepared for anything!” Rhia froze in place; she had one, miniscule thought about joining Team Rocket, and now the entire plan was crashing down around her. She sprinted nervously behind Giovanni into the generator room, and noticed a thousand red lights flashing everywhere. Rhia quickly scanned the room, and realized that Pikachu was nowhere to be found, and neither were the twerps. Did they successfully escape after all?

        Jessie, James, and Meowth were standing with their heads hung down, facing Pikachu’s opened enclosure, with no Pikachu inside.

        “You fools!” Giovanni thundered, “What have you done? Where is that Pikachu? Give me an explanation right now!!!” The trio laughed menacingly.

        Jessie turned around confidently, “Is that big boss talk I hear?”

        “It shrieks to me loud and clear,” James turned and faced the boss with a smile.

        “On the wind,” Jessie chanted.

        “Past the stars,” James added.

        “In your ears!” Meowth shouted as he finally turned around.

        “Bringing chaos at a break neck pace,” said Jessie.

        “Dashing hope putting fear in its place,” said James.

        “A rose by any other name’s just as sweet,” Jessie posed.

        “When everything’s worse, our work is complete,” James followed suit.

        “Jessie!”

        “And James!”

        “Meowth, dat’s da name!”

        “Putting the bad-guys in their place!” Jessie and James said in unison.

        “We’re Team Rocket; in your face!” Meowth, James, and Jessie struck a final pose once their motto was complete.

        “Hah, this must come as a surprise,” said James proudly.

        “I hate to break it to ya, boss,” Meowth began, “but we’re quittin’ Team Rocket for good!”

        “And we couldn’t think of a better way to say goodbye than by ruining your Pikachu plans,” Jessie smirked fiendishly.

        James continued, “Only the _best_ finale for your _best_ agents.”

        By this point, Giovanni was fuming with rage, “You idiots! You’ve ruined everything! You’re going to pay for this!” The boss instantly released his strongest Pokemon, Tyranitar, from a dark ball. “Once Tyranitar is finished with you three, you won’t have anything left in you to cry for mercy!” The boss laughed manically.

        Jessie, James, and Meowth grinned slyly amongst each other. Without saying a word, Jessie pulled out King’s master ball and released him, ready for a battle. Giovanni’s eyes grew wide in astonishment as he stared up at the towering Groudon, completely forgetting there was a battle at hand.

        “I can’t believe it!” the boss shouted furiously, “You numbskulls gave me a measly Pikachu, while you had a legendary Pokemon in your possession? Are you out of your mind?!” While the boss was distracted by the trio having one of the most powerful Pokemon known to mankind, Rhia glanced around the room, wondering what to do. Suddenly, she noticed four familiar figures hidden behind a crate amongst the shadows, watching the scene; it was the twerps, and Pikachu was with them! However, their facial expressions consisted of anxiety and fear - they had nowhere to escape. Rhia decided to use her quick-wittedness to her advantage. As Giovanni was preoccupied with the trio’s tomfoolery, Rhia discreetly waved a hand signal towards Ash, and he noticed. Rhia urgently pointed to the door of the generator room, leading to the boss’ office and their only escape route. Team Rocket had King; they would be alright. As sneakily as possible Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock bolted out of the generator room and into Giovanni’s office, with Rhia tip-toeing close behind them.

        “Okay, guys, _please_ listen to me,” Rhia stammered frantically, “The only way for everyone to get out of here safely is if Pikachu hides in my purse and leaves with me right now!” She looked genuinely worried.

        “No way!” Ash yelled spitefully, “Pikachu’s not going anywhere, we won’t fall for your dirty tricks again! I know you’re close with Giovanni, you’ll change your mind and take his side in two seconds!” Ash had little to no trust in Rhia due to her previous antics.

        “This entire building is going to be searching for Pikachu,” Rhia mentioned, remembering how determined Team Rocket agents are, “There’s no way three grunts won’t be noticed making a run for it with the stolen Pokemon in their arms! We’ve come this far, Ash! I can’t let you guys get caught! Please, you have to trust me!” Tears of sincerity began to form in Rhia’s eyes.

        “Ash, I think we have no other choice,” Brock mentioned urgently. During the midst of this conversation, Pikachu thought quietly to himself. He remembered that Rhia was the last person he saw before he strangely ended up at headquarters, and he became suspicious of her intentions. However, Rhia has always had a very strong emotional connection with Pokemon. She can sense their emotions, and they can sense hers as well. Pikachu looked at Rhia, deep into her bright blue eyes, and saw that she was genuine.

        “Pika, pika pi… Pikachu!” Ash’s best friend tugged on his shirt collar. Pikachu told Ash that he would be fine leaving with Rhia, that he trusted her entirely.

        “Wait, Pikachu… You said you’ll be okay going with Rhia? She’s, being honest…?” Pikachu nodded his head anxiously in agreement. “I just… I mean…” Ash stammered, “Okay. Just this once, I’ll trust you,” he said to Rhia. She beamed with excitement.

        “Really, Ash? Really, Pikachu?” Rhia asked, making sure there were no issues with this part of the plan. However, the conversation was soon put on hold by a tremendous flamethrower attack piercing through the side of a wall.

        “Rhia!” echoed Giovanni’s voice from the generator room, “I need your help in battle immediately!”

        “Oh no,” Rhia panicked, then opened her large purse, “I’ve gotta go right now! Pikachu, hop in.” The electric mouse nervously entered her handbag and hid inside. She addressed the twerps, “You know the pine tree we camped out by last night? That’s where we’ll all meet. Escape from here as soon as you have the chance,” Rhia hastily stood up, “Good luck you guys, and be safe!” She sprinted out of the penthouse office and bolted down the hall with Pikachu in tow, quickly making her escape.


	26. Peace at Last

**Chapter 26**

        Ash, Misty, and Brock were feeling tremendously nervous, but they knew in order to successfully escape, they had to keep up with their appearances and not blow their cover. Immediately, a small army of Team Rocket grunts marched into the office from hearing the emergency alarm sound.

        “What are you three standin’ around for?” one of the grunts asked the heroes, “We gotta help the boss!” The grunt pushed Ash, Misty, and Brock into the crowd of low-level agents, all wearing the exact same uniform.

        Giovanni was in absolute panic as he stormed out of the generator room. “You all!” he addressed the group of grunts, “Get out of here at once and look for that Pikachu!” The boss shouted loudly, “Ugh, I need better backup!” He pushed some of the grunts out of his way, and sprinted down the hall.

        “C’mon, guys, let’s get ‘em!” cheered one of the grunts, and they all ran out of the office towards the elevators. Ash, Misty, and Brock followed the group, seeing this as a perfect chance to escape. Cautiously, the heroes crept away from the rest of the grunts once they arrived on the ground floor. As soon as they were out of sight, they dashed out of headquarters, and headed towards the designated meeting place… Hoping that Pikachu was there.

       

        Meanwhile, Jessie, James, and Meowth had just defeated Giovanni’s Tyranitar in battle relatively quickly. With Rhia’s Groudon on their side, they were a force to be reckoned with.

        “You three won’t get away with this!!!” Giovanni screamed angrily as he stormed out of the generator room. The trio looked at one another blankly.

        “So James,” Jessie asked sarcastically, “How are we going to get out of here?”

        “I…I don’t know, Jess,” James stammered. Out of the blue, King roared at the trio, signaling that he had something to say.

        “Meowth, translate?” Jessie and James said in unison.

        Meowth cheered happily, “Jumbo here says to jump on his back, and he’ll get us outta here!” The humans looked at each other hesitantly, then climbed on the giant Pokemon’s back with their feline companion. “He says we betta’ hold on tight,” Meowth added. Instantaneously, King unleashed the largest fire blast the trio had ever seen. This attack was powerful enough to melt through the steel wall of the HQ building. King steadily walked towards the hole in the wall, then peered down; they were five stories up. In the blink of an eye, Rhia’s brave Pokemon had jumped out of the building with her friends on his back, plummeting quickly to the ground. Surprisingly, King nor Team Rocket was harmed in the fall… Although they were a little shaken up. Jessie, James, and Meowth speedily thanked King and gave him a grateful hug, then had him return to his master ball. Seconds later, the trio was running up the hill, successfully escaping from headquarters.

       

        Rhia and Pikachu were the first ones to arrive under the pine tree; the designated meeting place. The young trainer opened up her purse and finally released Pikachu, completely unharmed.

        Rhia smiled, “That was one heck of a ride, huh?... I’m sorry for kidnapping you and causing all this trouble. Those three you hate, yeah… They’re kinda my closest pals. I just wanted to help them succeed for once… Anyways, Ash is on his way, I promise.” Because the whole experience was somewhat traumatic for Pikachu, Rhia decided to give him a freshly picked oran berry to make him feel better. Moments later, gleeful cheering echoed in the distance, and the noise was approaching closer and closer very quickly. Rhia squinted her eyes to get a better view; it was Jessie, James, and Meowth, alive and well!

        “Rhia! You’re alright!” Jessie cried as they ran over to her and Pikachu.

        “Of course I’m okay,” Rhia said confidently, “I’ve always got a backup plan!”

        “And Pikachu ain’t hurt one bit!” Meowth commented. Rhia and her friends applauded and laughed happily together regarding yet another victory.

        At the same time, Pikachu overheard every word they were saying. Here was the group that captured him in the first place, all alone with him. They’re talking about victory… Pikachu put two and two together as he noticed the berry _Rhia_ gave to him. Team Rocket just bamboozled him again! Pikachu was immediately enraged, and charged up his thunderbolt to full blast…

        “Pikachu!” a familiar voice yelled off in the distance. Just before Pikachu was about to give the villains the shock of their lives, he glanced over and saw his best friend, Ash, running full speed towards him. Pikachu beamed, headed towards his trainer, and leaped into his arms.

        “I’m so glad you’re safe!” Ash said as he gave his Pokemon a well-needed hug.

        “You guys, we did it,” Brock mentioned, “We were able to succeed because we worked together.”

        “And it was for a good reason,” James added, “Pokemon and trainer bonds are special ones that can never be broken. We were wrong for trying to break that.”

        Ash nodded, “I forgive all of you, as long as there are no more tricks up your sleeves!”

        “Definitely not,” Jessie said hastily, “I’m just glad this mess is over, now we can get on with our lives.”

        “Is any of yous really darn hungry?” Meowth said randomly, “Because I sure am!”

        Misty’s stomach growled, “Now that you mention it, we didn’t have breakfast this morning.”

        “Dinner’s on me,” Rhia chimed in proudly, “Let’s head to the next town together, grab a bite to eat and celebrate, then head on our ways.” The group began their short trek to the nearest urban area, Celadon City. The heroes were overjoyed to have Pikachu back with them, and the villains were proud of their sudden change of heart; demonstrating acts of honesty, teamwork, and bravery. Sometimes, change can be a good thing.


	27. Heroes and Villains Unite

**Chapter 27**

        Ash, Pikachu, Misty, Brock, Jessie, James, Meowth and Rhia arrived in Celadon City fairly quickly. It was approaching sundown, and by this point everyone was starving. They walked past a high-end sushi buffet, and Rhia stopped in front of it.

        “Oooooh!” Rhia awed as she pointed to the Japanese restaurant, “I’ve read great reviews on this place.. apparently, the best sushi in the region is right here!” The heroes examined the face of the restaurant, and quickly realized that this place was indeed luxurious, and probably pricey too.

        “Um, Rhia?” Misty asked politely, “I don’t think we have enough money to afford to have dinner here.”

        “I’m paying for everyone, remember? Eat and drink whatever you’d like!” Rhia said joyfully as she walked into the eatery, with everyone else following behind her. The large group sat at a round table right in the middle of the establishment, and enjoyed their meal together.

        “So guys, now that you quit Team Rocket, what are you planning to do next?” Brock inquisitively asked Jessie, James, and Meowth.

        “Well…” Jessie began to speak, and James gently grabbed her hand and held it. The heroes gasped at this unexpected romantic gesture.

        James smiled, “We’re planning to live out our happily ever after.”

        Meowth followed suit and wrapped his arm around his kitty crush, Beauty. “Dat’s right!” he cheered excitedly. Rhia giggled at the two happy couples.

        “Hah!” Misty commented, addressing Jessie and James, “I’m glad you two finally realized you’re perfect for each other.”

        Ironically, Jessie said, “And I’m glad _you_ two are finally back together,” as she pointed to Ash and Misty.

        “WE ARE NOT TOGETHER!” the two friends yelled in unison, resulting in stares from other diners. Surprisingly, Jessie didn’t become enraged from the twerps yelling in her face… She simply just laughed.

        “Hey Pokemon master”, Ash said sarcastically, “Now that you’re not on the run, where are you gonna go next?”

        Meowth butted in abruptly, “She’s gonna live wit us in da mansion of course!”

        Rhia smiled, “You’re right, Meowth. This has been a crazy week… I’m definitley gonna relax and hang out with you guys for a while. But, one day… when I get a little older, my big dream is to go to medical school and become a Pokemon doctor!” The entire group smiled, remembering that even the hardest shells have a soft spot.

        “Hey!” Brock chimed in, “I wanna become a Pokemon doctor, too,” Brock grinned at Rhia and gazed into her bright, blue eyes…And he instantly fell in love. Now that he knew Rhia was no longer an enemy, and wasn’t entirely evil, he realized that she was the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen! With hearts in his eyes, he added, “And you and I can get married, run our own Pokemon love clinic, and live happily ever after!” Brock proceeded to kiss Rhia’s hand. Instead of becoming creeped out just like every other girl Brock has hit on, Rhia simply blushed and giggled shyly.

        Meowth took a sip of his soda pop at the wrong time. Because of this hilarious outburst from Brock, Meowth spit out his entire drink as he began laughing so hard that tears rolled down his cheek. The entire group laughed uncontrollably; the heroes and the villains were truly starting to form a bond.

        Shortly after, the group finished their meals and strolled out of the eatery, standing outside ready to say their goodbyes. Ash, Pikachu, Misty, and Brock all shook hands with Jessie, James, Meowth, and Rhia and gave them friendly hugs, demonstrating a sign of final peace. The only one having trouble saying goodbye, was Brock.

        “Please don’t leave me!!!” Brock cried as he kneeled at Rhia’s feet, holding onto her legs in no way, shape, or form determined to let go. Rhia smiled awkwardly, then ran her fingers through Brock’s hair.

        “Hey listen,” she said sweetly, “It’s not goodbye, it’s… I’ll see you later.” Rhia’s words made Brock stand back up on his feet, “Me and my friends are staying in Kanto, and we’re buying the estate from the bank in the morning. Once we’re officially settled in, you are more than welcome to come over whenever you’d like!” Rhia grinned joyfully and handed Brock a slip of paper with her cell phone number on it, “Call me,” she winked to him as she walked towards Jessie, James, and Meowth. Brock’s soul had officially left his body; he jolted in Rhia’s direction to give her yet another hug, but was immediately stopped by a swift tug on his ear.

        “That’s enough!” Misty shouted as she pulled him back, “You finally got a girl to give you the time of day, don’t ruin it!”

        “Goodbye twerps!” Jessie, James, and Meowth cheered happily as they said one last farewell, and walked their separate way down the road.

        “Bye Ash, Misty, Brock! I’ll never forget you guys!” Rhia yelled with a smile as she headed the same way alongside her closest buddies. The heroes waved goodbye, then headed in the opposite direction as their newfound friends.

       

        Ash commented, “You know, I’d say we catch the first ferry tomorrow morning to Pallet Town… Just to show Professor Oak and my mom that Pikachu is alright.”

        “Pikachu!” the electric-mouse agreed as he casually resided on his trainer’s shoulder. Brock and Misty nodded their heads, letting Ash know that they would continue to stick by his side. As the heroes traveled on, they will keep this experience as a memory forever in their minds about what teamwork and forgiveness can really accomplish.

       

        “You know, I’m still kind of shocked that us, the villains, actually did something good for once,” Jessie said out of the blue as they strolled down the sidewalk.

        “Doesn’t it feel great?” James added proudly, “And now, we never have to worry about catching that Pikachu again. Or worry about the boss! We can live out our days doing whatever we want!”

        “Speaking of doing whatever we want,” Rhia commented randomly, “I know for a fact I want to go on another Pokemon journey soon… Maybe explore another region and train new kinds of Pokemon.”

        “But whata’bout stayin’ wit us?” Meowth asked urgently. Rhia paused for a moment, then glanced at Meowth admirably staring at Beauty. Rhia _knew_ she couldn’t separate the feline lovers, it would break their hearts! Suddenly, she had an idea.

        “Meowth, how would you like to tag along with Beauty and I on our next adventure? You really have great potential at battling, you should give it a try! If you don’t like it, no worries. And neither you or Beauty will ever have to step foot in a Pokeball,” Rhia winked as she proposed this offer to Meowth.

        “Really? You wanna take me on an adventure wit ya?!” Meowth beamed with excitement as he imagined battling alongside his two favorite girls.

        “Don’t get too excited,” Jessie said with a grin.

        “Yeah, remember… You promised you’d spend some time getting settled in at OUR mansion! At least do that before you set out on a new quest,” James continued joyfully. Rhia and Meowth agreed of course, and James continued holding Jessie’s hand as they continued on their way to their new home. Finally, Rhia had true, genuine friendship, and Jessie, James, and Meowth got to begin their biggest dream after all.

         With happiness in their hearts, maybe the two groups of friends would reunite someday…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you read this story all the way through, thank you! I really hope you enjoyed it! <3
> 
> After about four months of deciding whether or not I should write a sequel to this tale, I think I finally have enough ideas to make a fairly good continuation story. However, the sequel will not be as kid-friendly (G-PG rated) as the first. There's a bunch of adult topics I want to implement into what happens next in the character's lives; things can't be rainbows and butterflies forever. It won't be too explicit though, I'm just sending out a forewarning. There will also be a few connections in certain character's pasts that I want to elaborate further on! With that, I hope you all stay tuned for the sequel!


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